Dallas Cowboys owner and president Jerry Jones has provided his first remarks about Micah Parsons after trading him to the Green Bay Packers.
Jones sent Parsons to the Packers in exchange for defensive lineman Kenny Clark and two first-round picks, ending a four-year stint between the two parties. Negotiations took a downturn when Parsons wanted his agent to be present during contract talks, something that Jones wasn't keen on appeasing.
Hour safter the trade, Jones hosted media for a press conference on Thursday night. He gave his thanks to Parsons for representing the team well throughout his four seasons there, while stating the reason to why they couldn't come together on an agreement for the contract extension.
“I really like Micah. I appreciate the four years we had him here. He's a great player. No question, I could have signed him in April. … This was by design. I did make Micah an offer and it wasn't acceptable and I honored the fact that it wasn't done how he wanted — through an agent,” Jones said, via NFL insider Ian Rapoport.
What's next for Jerry Jones, Cowboys after trading Micah Parsons
Jerry Jones even went further on the trade, saying that trading Micah Parsons benefitted the Cowboys for the long term.
“This gives us a chance to be a better team than we’ve had the last several years,” Jones said, via ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Getting at least two first-rounders will give Dallas an advantage in drafting high-quality talents in the next drafts. However, they have questions marks that opponents will put to the test this season.
Dallas will also start a new era under first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer. They fired Mike McCarthy after going 7-10 last season, even though injuries and inconsistent play were major reasons behind their underwhelming campaign in 2024.
The Cowboys will prepare for their season opener, being on the road. They face the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 4 at 7:20 p.m. ET.
