No more than two hours after ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the Dallas Cowboys were willing to listen to trade offers for Micah Parsons, they have traded Parsons to the Green Bay Packers.
The details of the trade have not yet been revealed, but Parsons and the Packers have agreed to a four-year, $188 million contract, including $136 million guaranteed. It makes Parsons the richest non-quarterback in NFL history, a milestone he was supposed to hit with the Cowboys.
Cowboys trade Micah Parsons to the Packers in a a blockbuster for the ages.
Editor's note: the Cowboys traded Parsons to the Packers for two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark.
The package reportedly includes two first-round picks and a player. The Cowboys will have to hope the players they draft with those picks turn into half the player and competitor Parsons is. If not, this will go down as one of the worst trades of all time.
Parsons is on a Hall of Fame trajectory just four years into his career at a premium position. It's rare that caliber of player get traded before signing their second contract. It seems that Jerry Jones was more concerned about proving a point - and winning a negotiation - than putting his team in the best position to succeed.
It seemed like a divorce was going to happen at some point, but nobody thought Jones was delusional enough to trade Parsons while he was still under contract. The Cowboys had leverage to franchise tag Parsons each of the next two years to ensure he stayed with the team.
It would appear that Parsons seeking a second opinion on his back - attempting to miss games while still being paid - pushed Jones and the front office over the line.
Regardless of what influenced the decision, it will go down as one of the most dumbfounding decisions in Cowboys history. The reported return confirms that.