The possibility of the Green Bay Packers trading for Pro Bowl pass rusher Micah Parsons just got a whole lot more realistic after the latest development about how the Dallas Cowboys are navigating his request to play elsewhere in 2025.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Cowboys “appear willing to at least listen” to trade offers for Parsons as they seek a resolution to their contentious situation with him before they kick off the 2025 season against the Philadelphia Eagles next Thursday.
Several teams have spoken to the Dallas Cowboys about a potential Micah Parsons trade, and for the first time, the Cowboys appear willing to at least listen, according to multiple sources,” Schefter wrote Thursday. “No trade is imminent, but another team could be aggressive enough to make it come together quickly, per sources.”
Parsons requested a trade from the Cowboys on August 1 after growing frustrated with the team amid negotiations on a lucrative long-term contract extension. With 52.5 sacks in his first four seasons, the 26-year-old superstar is likely pushing for a deal that would pay him near the top of the market — or, in other words, at least $35 million per season.
Meanwhile, the Packers have been regularly linked to Parsons in the subsequent weeks.
Most recently, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport told “The Pat McAfee Show” on August 18 that he believes the Packers would be “really interested” in trading for Parsons if the Cowboys became more amenable to trade conversations. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler also mentioned on the air Thursday that the Packers would “make sense” for Parsons.
Update: Per Schefter, the Packers have acquired Parsons in a trade with the Cowboys and have signed him to a four-year, $188 million contract extension in the process.
Packers Have Money & Motive to Land Micah Parsons
The Cowboys will likely ask for a king’s ransom in any trade involving Parsons — who is on a Hall of Fame trajectory after four seasons — but the Packers have the money and the motivation to pull off a blockbuster deal if they decide he is their missing piece.
According to Over the Cap, the Packers have about $23.15 million in cap space available for the 2025 season after making their 53-man roster cuts. They would need to be ready to sign Parsons to a high-end contract extension upon acquiring him, but their current space alone is enough to afford him, depending on how they structure his new deal.
For reference, the Cleveland Browns signed pass rusher Myles Garrett to a four-year, league-leading $160 million contract earlier in the offseason, but he will cost less than $28 million against the cap in each of his next three seasons, thanks to back-loading. While there is risk that comes with kicking the big costs down the road, the Packers have shown no hesitation to do so under general manager Brian Gutekunst.
The Packers also have the immediate need to add an impact pass rusher like Parsons. While they have two first-rounders working off the edge between veteran Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness, Green Bay’s pass rush struggled to consistently get home in 2024.
There are valid questions about whether Van Ness (seven sacks in 34 games) will turn a corner in his development for the Packers in 2025. Both of the Packers‘ drafted rookie pass rushers — fourth-rounder Barryn Sorrell and fifth-rounder Collin Oliver — are also nursing injuries ahead of Week 1, with Oliver out at least four weeks on the PUP list.
The Packers would need to send the farm for Parsons, but it could save them.
Would Micah Parsons Make Packers Super Bowl Favorites?
If the Packers were to trade for Parsons, they would likely find themselves atop the speculative Super Bowl projections rather quickly between media and oddsmakers.
Would Parsons push the Packers over the edge and make them clear favorites in the NFC to compete for the Super Bowl this season, though?
The Packers — or any team, for that matter — would relish the opportunity to load up their defensive line with a premier talent such as Parsons. Whether it is Gary or Van Ness rushing on the other side of him, the Packers would likely no longer need to worry about the effectiveness of their frontlines, considering Parsons’ efficient track record.
The first-round interior starters, Kenny Clark and Devonte Wyatt, would also likely reap the benefits of a four-time Pro Bowl presence on the edge of their defensive line.
The Packers defense, however, might have larger concerns than its pass rush.
At cornerback, the Packers are placing quite a bit of trust in some of their returning contributors to ensure the unit takes a step forward in 2025. Keisean Nixon is staying on the perimeter as the replacement for Jaire Alexander, while Carrington Valentine, veteran Nate Hobbs and slot Javon Bullard will play critical roles for the secondary.
If even one of their cornerbacks falls short of expectations in 2025, though, the unit could experience significant problems with few proven depth options in the mix.
That’s not to say Parsons would not help the Packers or make them legitimate Super Bowl contenders — which they likely already are. But it would be an awful shame if the Packers made a blockbuster deal for Parsons just to find out their cornerback room is not strong enough to contend.
Packers Trade Rumors Intensify After Latest Micah Parsons Update