Unfortunately, the Micah Parsons narrative isn't going anywhere for Dallas Cowboys fans. Not to open up buried wounds, but much like when Jerry Jones shipped Amari Cooper to the Browns, the Parsons trade is going to be analyzed with a fine-tooth comb for years.
Not just because Parsons is one of the best players in the NFL, but because the Cowboys didn't acquire as many assets as they should have for a perennial All-Pro who's just entering his prime.
Well, we now have our first comparable blockbuster after the Jets shockingly dealt star cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Colts before Tuesday's deadline. Per reports, the Colts are sending two first-round picks and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell to the Jets.
That means Gardner and Parsons went for the same price, as the Colts (7-2) and Packers (5-2-1) should be drafting near one another in 2026.
Cowboys take another massive L on Micah Parsons trade after Sauce Gardner blockbuster
Look, Sauce Gardner is a really, really good player. He hasn't been quite as dominant after he posted coverage grades north of 90.0 in his first two seasons, but he's only allowed a 50.3 percent completion rate when targeted and just five total touchowns in his career.
Gardner is a top-five cornerback, but there is no way that he should command the same trade haul as Parsons. Not only is Parsons the more decorated player, but edge rusher is widely regarded as the second-most premium position in the sport behind quarterback. There's an argument to be made for left tackle at No. 2, but cornerback is arguably further down the totem pole than wide receiver.
It just goes to show that the Cowboys have no idea how to evaluate their own players, and zero pulse of the trade market. They traded Amari Cooper for a fifth-round pick and a swap of sixth-round picks while Cooper was in the middle of his prime and on a cheap contract.
Jerry Jones arguably let his personal feelings influence both trades. The Cowboys didn't enter the offseason with the intention of trading Parsons. The negotiation process turned ugly, and Jones decided that enough was enough, even though Parsons attempted to reconcile before the trade to the Packers went through.
Even five years down the road, two first-round picks will be an insane underpay for Parsons. Like the Sauce Gardner stunner, every major trade involving a high-profile defensive player will hammer that home.