Dallas Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones was willing to trade linebacker/edge rusher Micah Parsons to an NFC team, just not an NFC East team. That’s what happened on Thursday when the Cowboys sent Parsons to the Green Bay Packers for defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two first-round picks. The trade sent shockwaves around the NFL.
Many wondered why Dallas didn’t push for more for Parsons? A 26-year-old edge rusher in the early prime of his career, and Dallas settled for an interior defensive lineman — not a game-wrecker — and two first-round picks that will likely not be inside the top 10-15 picks.
After the shocking trade, Jones met with the Dallas media for over 45 minutes, offering his side of the negotiations with Parsons, expressing personal admiration for the traded star, and much more. He was also asked if he was concerned about trading Parsons to the Packers, an NFC rival that eliminated the Cowboys from the playoffs two years ago.
“We cut it down by 15 teams, 16 teams,” Jones said. “There’s not but 31 other teams, and so you’re going to be playing half of them, no matter how you cut it. So we just cut it down by that. Apart from in our same division, a part from being in the same division, I don’t give that any consideration. There’s just too many other things, Ed, that you have to think about, or resolve, or come to grips with. That was a pretty far down the line one.”
There you have it, Washington fans. Jones was never trading Parsons to the Commanders to reunite him with the coach he loves: Dan Quinn. Parsons played his first three seasons with Dallas, when Quinn was the defensive coordinator. Parsons joked one time that wherever Quinn went, he was going. He’s expressed his admiration for Washington’s head coach numerous times, even sharing that they still communicate during the regular season.
Quinn has also shared his admiration for Parsons.
Jones knew he could never live down trading Parsons to a division rival, especially the Commanders or Philadelphia Eagles. Philadelphia fans long dreamed of Parsons returning to his home state of Pennsylvania.
So, while the dream of Parsons to Washington is officially dead, at least he’s not in Dallas anymore.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Cowboys’ Jerry Jones ruled out trading Micah Parsons to NFC East team