Right before Week One of the 2025 NFL season, the Dallas Cowboys traded away their best defensive player, Micah Parsons, to the Green Bay Packers. In return, they received Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two first round picks. Unfortunately for the Cowboys, it did not work well for them.
Parsons went on to have 12.5 sacks in 14 games for the Packers on his way to being named a First Team All-Pro. Dallas, meanwhile, had the fewest sacks in the NFL and ended up firing defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus after just one season.
This off-season, the Cowboys devoted multiple resources to improve their pass rush; but it may not be enough to get them the results they expect.
The Dallas Cowboys will be disappointed by Rashan Gary even in Malachi Lawrence works out
Dec 7, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Rashan Gary (52) during the game against the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
Last week, Bleacher Report released an article in which they highlighted the most important position battles on each team’s roster during OTA’s and training camp. Pass rushers were picked as the most important for Dallas, and for obvious reasons:
“The Dallas Cowboys have been looking to rebuild their pass-rushing rotation ever since they traded away Micah Parsons late last offseason. This offseason alone, they’ve traded for Rashan Gary and drafted Malachi Lawrence in the first round.
“The new additions will compete with returning players like Donovan Ezeiruaku, James Houston, and Sam Williams for roles at the forefront of the rotation. While none of them are likely to replace Parsons on a one-for-one basis, a successful competition should yield a productive pass rush.
“Dallas recorded just 34 sacks as a team in 2025 while ranking dead-last in points allowed.”
The key phrase here is “none of them are likely to replace Parsons on a one-for-one basis.” While Malachi Lawrence is a promising draft pick and could be a phenomenal player, he hasn’t proven anything in the NFL yet.
And as for Gary, well, he did not particularly play well last year even though he was on Parson’s team! He had 7.5 sacks through the first seven games of the season, but absolutely zero in the final four months of the year. When Parsons went down with his torn ACL, Gary was left to shoulder the burden of being Green Bay’s primary pass rusher.
And just as he did before Parsons was traded the Packers, he let the team down. At this point in his career, there is little to suggest Gary is anything more than a complimentary pass rusher who takes plays off and does not want to play any more than 50% of defensive snaps.
Unless Lawrence is the second coming of Parsons himself, the Cowboys have set themselves up for disappointment on the defensive line once again.
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