The Green Bay Packers will host the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night without Micah Parsons on the field, but the blockbuster trade that sent the star pass rusher to Green Bay is hanging over Dallas.
NFL insider Jason La Canfora reported that Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones is expected to continue searching for defensive help ahead of the trade deadline.
One NFL general manager who has previously dealt with Jones went a step further, pointing directly to the Parsons trade as a decision that continues to bother the longtime Dallas executive.
“He knows he (messed up) trading ([Micah] Parsons) (to Green Bay) last year,” the GM told La Canfora. “That haunts him.”
Dallas visits Lambeau Field on Oct. 18, setting up another reunion with a player the Cowboys dealt away before the 2025 season.
Cowboys Searching for Pass-Rush Help After Parsons Trade
Dallas sent Parsons to Green Bay on Aug. 28, 2025, receiving defensive lineman Kenny Clark and first-round picks in 2026 and 2027. Parsons then agreed to a four-year, $188 million extension with the Packers, a deal that included $136 million guaranteed.
The return gave Dallas significant draft capital, but La Canfora’s report suggests the Cowboys are still trying to replace what they lost off the edge.
Dallas heads into Sunday with only five sacks through five contests, according to La Canfora, while opposing quarterbacks had compiled a 120.5 passer rating against the Cowboys. He reported that league executives expect Jones to pursue a pass rusher.
Arizona Cardinals edge rusher Josh Sweat was identified as one possible target. La Canfora also mentioned Las Vegas Raiders star Maxx Crosby and New York Giants pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux as names connected to the broader market, though potential deals involving either player have obvious complications.
“Dude, you know Jerry, he’s going to add a pass rusher,” the anonymous GM told La Canfora.
That search makes the Parsons decision difficult to separate from Dallas’ current problems. Parsons recorded at least 12 sacks in each of his first four seasons with the Cowboys before Green Bay acquired him, becoming one of the league’s premier defensive players.
Parsons Won’t Get Cowboys Reunion Yet
The storyline will be missing one major piece Sunday night.
Parsons likely won’t make his 2026 debut against Dallas as he continues recovering from the torn ACL and meniscus injury he suffered last December. Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Monday that Parsons has yet to receive medical clearance to practice, although he believes the four-time All-Pro is moving closer.
“As soon as they give us the green light, he’ll be out there,” LaFleur said.
Parsons had openly targeted the Dallas matchup earlier in his rehab. In August, he called an Oct. 18 return “very realistic,” while acknowledging that his recovery would ultimately determine whether he could make it back in time.
That reunion will have to wait. The circumstances surrounding his departure, however, remain a prime part of Sunday night’s matchup.
Green Bay made Parsons the main feature of its defense with one of the boldest trades in franchise history.
But even with Parsons watching rather than rushing the passer, the trade will be difficult to ignore when the Cowboys arrive at Lambeau Field.
Packers’ Micah Parsons Trade Still ‘Haunts’ Jerry Jones: NFL GM