Jerry Jones has shocked the entire NFL after making a blockbuster move, sending Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers. According to a report from Adam Schefter, the owner took a page from his vintage playbook, thinking about revamping the Dallas Cowboys.
“Why are they trading him to a team that has knocked them out of the playoffs in each of the last three years? Why are they not looking to deal him to an AFC team so that there would be one less obstacle as they try to use those picks, and Kenny Clark, to try to get back to the Super Bowl? In the end, this is also true, and this came from an NFL executive, Jerry Jones felt like this was his modern day version of a Herschel Walker trade.”
Now, Jones has placed all his trust in the offense led by Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and George Pickens to carry the team, while he attempts, through the Draft, to find the missing pieces to compete for the Super Bowl once again.
What was the Herschel Walker trade?
The Herschel Walker trade is one of the most famous transactions in NFL history, often regarded as the deal that helped build the modern Dallas Cowboys dynasty.
In 1989, the Cowboys traded star running back Herschel Walker to the Minnesota Vikings. At the time, Walker was a proven talent, but Dallas was focused on rebuilding and acquiring the draft capital needed to construct a strong, long-term roster.
In return, the Cowboys received five players who joined the team immediately, along with a massive number of future draft picks. Many of these picks were conditional, depending on whether the Vikings cut the players they received from Dallas. This gave the Cowboys the opportunity to transform those draft selections into long-term assets for the franchise, giving them dozens of opportunities to add key talent.
The trade had a monumental impact on the Cowboys’ future. Using the acquired picks, Dallas drafted cornerstone players like Emmitt Smith and Darren Woodson, laying the foundation for a dominant team in the 1990s. Ultimately, the Walker trade helped the Cowboys win three Super Bowls in 1992, 1993, and 1995, turning the franchise from a struggling team into a dynasty.
What did Packers give up for Micah Parsons?
The Packers gave two first-round picks (2026, 2027) and defensive tackle Kenny Clark to acquire Micah Parsons from the Dallas Cowboys. Schefter mentions that Jerry Jones decided to make the blockbuster trade to steer the team in a new direction.
“He felt like he need to do something dramatic to shake up things for a team that has not reached the conference championship game in 30 years and has not gotten pass the Divisional Round in 30 years. By making a blockbuster shocking trade, the way he once did with Herschel Walker, he could inject youth and picks and another player into his team. Recreate some of that excitement that the Cowboys had the last time they went on an extended postseason run.”