It may have required taking a long, unconventional route to reach this point, but Dallas Cowboys fans can finally feel good about trading Micah Parsons. However, this newfound optimism has nothing to do with him; it's more about the massive transaction his former club has since pulled off.
Dallas landed standout defensive tackle Quinnen Williams in a stunning blockbuster swap with the New York Jets before the NFL's trade deadline. He gives the Cowboys the star power they've sorely lacked upon sending Parsons, one of the best players in football, to the Green Bay Packers.
Moreover, and perhaps most importantly, the Cowboys may have redeemed themselves after making the inexcusable decision to part ways with Parsons instead of paying him. Folks in Dallas are still livid about his well-chronicled exit, but Williams makes the incoming package for him look exponentially better.
Cowboys' Micah Parsons trade looks much better after acquiring star DT Quinnen Williams
With the benefit of hindsight, the Cowboys ostensibly made out all right. As you can see by the updated details of the Parsons-Packers deal following the addition of Williams, Dallas turned Parsons into a potentially franchise-altering haul.
Williams is the big fish, and Clark is a nice sweetener, though receiving Green Bay's first-round pick is the ultimate cherry on top. The Cowboys landed two high-impact contributors, albeit to varying degrees, and a Day 1 selection that could throw another blue-chip prospect into the mix. Saying goodbye to Parsons will never not sting, yet Dallas did well to save face.
Turning 28 in December, Williams is firmly in the prime of his career. He's a one-man wrecking crew and has the hardware to show for it, posting three straight Pro Bowl campaigns, including a 2022 All-Pro First Team bid. His status as one of the league's premier interior defenders is solidified, providing the Cowboys with a much-needed post-Parsons building block.
Clark has tailed off after a productive first few contests with the Cowboys. Nevertheless, he's an established run stopper and valuable locker room leader who can help them off the field as much as on it. Alternatively, Dallas can cut him this offseason and leave behind no dead money while creating $21.5 million in cap savings if his production keeps declining.
They've commendably made the most out of a terrible situation, albeit one they put themselves in to begin with.