Jerry Jones spent much of the offseason discussing Micah Parsons, although his talks were unproductive. On April 1, during the NFL annual meetings, Jones mentioned he often spoke with Parsons, noting he wasn’t concerned about engaging with his agent, whom he did not even know by name. In response, Parsons commented on X that he wouldn’t finalize any deals without the input of his agent, David Mulugheta, leading to a stalemate.

On the four-month anniversary of rising tensions, Parsons, while holding at training camp, requested a trade in a detailed post. He stated he no longer wished to negotiate without an agent, was unhappy with the team’s jabs regarding his injuries, and found the Cowboys’ refusal to collaborate with Mulugheta unacceptable.

Despite Jones’ claims throughout the offseason that he wouldn’t trade Parsons, the trade was made, sending Parsons to the Packers for two draft picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark. After the trade, Jones humorously acknowledged that the media had the headline indicating he wouldn’t trade Parsons, which was part of his tactical negotiations, although the trade itself came as a surprise.

Parsons was a Pro Bowler in all his first four seasons and shares a milestone of having at least 12 sacks with Reggie White. With the trade of Parsons, Jerry Jones emphasized the need for a strong defense and indicated that they prioritized acquiring a Pro Bowl player in a critical area of concern. He praised Clark and expressed confidence that adding him would reinforce their defense against the run.

Jones stated that acquiring multiple draft picks could lead to more Pro Bowl players, enhancing team depth and addressing the necessity of many players on the field. He believes this trade provides the Cowboys a better chance to perform well and continues to show that they aim to compete immediately, despite the changes in the lineup.