The Green Bay Packers have a premier pass rusher in Micah Parsons, and they saw the kind of player they have in Week 1 against the Detroit Lions. The Dallas Cowboys were able to get Kenny Clark in return from the trade, but apparently, they had their eyes on somebody else on the Packers, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.
“Staying on Green Bay, I'm told pass rusher Rashan Gary — who produced 1.5 sacks Sunday against Detroit — was a part of Dallas' internal trade discussion on the Micah Parsons deal,” Fowler wrote. “The Cowboys were looking to add a premier defensive player, and Gary's name came up in the building before the move.
“The Cowboys ultimately wanted Kenny Clark, focused on defensive tackle play and run stopping, but Gary as a Cowboy was at least a notion kicked around at The Star. Despite losing Clark, Green Bay now has a vicious three-man pass rush with Parsons, Gary and Lukas Van Ness, who can play inside or outside.”
In the end, the Cowboys were able to get the player they wanted, and it was somebody who could stop the run. For the Packers, they got someone who can wreck the front line, and he's one of the best in the league to do so.
Micah Parsons describes debut with Packers
In Parsons' first game with the Packers, he felt the energy of the crowd as soon as he stepped on the field. After their win against the Lions, he shared his thoughts on his debut with his new team.
“I can't lie, it gave me chills,” Parsons told the national television audience. “This environment, the first time, how they embraced me. This was one of one and it was a blessing in disguise. [Jordan] Love told me it would be this nice, but nothing he said could have told me how nice it would be.”
The Packers dominated the Lions on defense, and though Parsons didn't play all the snaps, when he was on the field, he made a difference. This is what the Packers should expect for the remainder of the season and in the future, as Parsons is a true game-changer. He makes the defense better, and other players are going to be able to make plays because of the attention he requires.
There's no doubt that he also makes the entire team better, and the Packers could be one of the top teams in the league this season.
