Cowboys Reportedly Weren't Concerned About Backlash from Micah Trade amid Luka Comp

The Dallas Cowboys reportedly weren't worried about public perception when they made the surprising decision to trade superstar pass-rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers last week.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Don Van Natta Jr., a team source said the Cowboys "were unconcerned about the public relations fallout the team would face given [Parsons'] popularity with fans."

The Cowboys have received plenty of criticism for trading away a potentially generational pass-rusher, with an anonymous NFC North staffer comparing the trade to the Dallas Mavericks dealing Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers last season in the NBA, telling CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz:

"Luka trade 2.0. In-conference is crazy. Shows how much [Cowboys owner] Jerry [Jones'] ego was involved. Those first-round picks aren't worth much because Green Bay should be a playoff contender the next few years. You don't trade a generational player, especially one who's not a criminal and has no off-field issues. It's malpractice."

The Dončić trade was arguably among the most shocking moves in major pro sports history since the decision to part ways with him came seemingly out of nowhere.

At the time of the trade, Dončić was a 25-year-old five-time All-Star who had just led the Mavs to an NBA Finals appearance the previous season.

Despite that, the Mavericks traded him for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a future first-round pick.

Parsons never led the Cowboys to a Super Bowl, but his production is undeniable, as the 26-year-old racked up 52.5 sacks over his first four NFL seasons.

The four-time Pro Bowler, two-time First Team All-Pro and 2021 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year is the only player in NFL history besides Hall of Famer Reggie White to record 12 or more sacks in each of their first four seasons.

In exchange for Parsons, the Cowboys received two first-round picks and three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark.

It remains to be seen if that trade package will yield better results than what the Mavericks got for Dončić, but if blockbuster trades, the team that gets the best player tends to come out on the winning end more often than not.

Parsons' ability and impact on the game when healthy is undeniable, although his health is in question to some degree right now.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Monday that Parsons is nursing a facet joint sprain in his back, which could require an epidural injection in order for him to play in Green Bay's opener against the Detroit Lions on Sunday.

Parsons has been practicing through it, but injuries have limited him at times during his career, including last season when he missed four games due to a high ankle sprain.

If the back injury lingers, the trade could look a lot better from Dallas' perspective, but the report from Fowler and Van Natta suggests Jones and the Cowboys front office are focusing on themselves more so than what Parsons does in Green Bay.