Cowboys' Jerry Jones Defends Micah Parsons Trade, 'I'll Take the Numbers Every Time'

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is standing firm in his belief that he made the right decision to trade star edge rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers in a shocking blockbuster deal last week.

"There are two kinds of capital or currency in the NFL," Jones said during an appearance on Wednesday's episode of Good Morning America. "One of them is draft picks, and the other is the financial, because every team is limited to the same amount of resources to spend. Having said that, Micah enabled us to have four, possibly as many as six players for the future. That's a good trade when you need numbers. I'll take the numbers every time."

The Cowboys sent Parsons to the Packers in exchange for veteran defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two first-round draft picks in 2026 and 2027. Upon his acquisition, Parsons signed a four-year, $188 million contract with Green Bay that includes $120 million fully guaranteed at signing and $136 million in total guarantees, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.

While both sides seem content as they get used to life without one another, Parsons' preference would've been to remain in Dallas.

"I think the most important thing is Micah wanted to be a Cowboy," Parsons' agent David Mulugheta said during an appearance on ESPN's First Take on Tuesday. "He grew up cheering for the Cowboys, wore the blue and white at Penn State, wore it in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys. He wanted to be a Cowboy, and we did everything we could for him to remain a Cowboy."

Dallas will now have to move forward with a major hole in its defense. While Clark is a three-time Pro Bowler, it won't be easy to replicate the production of Parsons, who has recorded at least 12 sacks in each of his first four seasons in the NFL.

The Cowboys defense will face a tough test without Parsons right out of the gate when they open the 2025 season on Thursday against the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.