Just when it seemed like the annual offseason whisper campaign about the Green Bay Packers trading for a superstar pass rusher had finally settled down, the NFL managed to stir things up again.
Speculation started once again when Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons requested a trade on August 1. A couple of weeks later, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reported that the Cincinnati Bengals are fielding offers for Trey Hendrickson as his contract dispute with the team continues.
With contract talks at an impasse, the #Bengals are listening to trade offers for perennial Pro Bowler Trey Hendrickson, per me & @TomPelissero.
It’s unclear if the NFL sack leader will be playing elsewhere in 2025, and a trade will be a real challenge. But time will tell. pic.twitter.com/WaFX601ew2
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 17, 2025
The most likely outcome is that Dallas and Cincinnati extend Parsons and Hendrickson, respectively. With that said, if Green Bay were to make a run at a high-profile edge rusher, a move for Micah Parsons would be the most logical scenario.
Parsons is only 26 years old. He and Reggie White are the only players to ever record at least 12 sacks in each of their first four seasons. Parsons is technically entering his prime, and that type of profile aligns with what Brian Gutekunst tends to target in free agents or the trade market – hello Khalil Mack.
If the Packers trade for Parsons, they would likely have to give up at least one first-round pick and negotiate an extension that could pay him around $40 million per year. Even so, trading for him would fit Green Bay’s short-term goal of contending for a Super Bowl while staying consistent with their long-term roster-building philosophy.
While appearing on The Pat McAfee Show on Monday, Rapoport discussed Parsons’ situation with the Cowboys and said he would expect Green Bay to show significant interest in the former Defensive Rookie of the Year.
I would expect that the Packers would be among the teams interested, and I would say I expect the Packers to be among the teams really interested. They have paid Jordan Love and have a bunch of really good young players, but there’s some guys like Quay Walker they have not paid, Zach Tom they paid, but they (the Packers) have money to spend and they are really good.
That’s the kind of team that I would say, if Micah was going to be traded, that he be going to, because it’s like, we need one final piece, this guy is an absolute dawg, he is worth all the money, so pay him all the money. Who knows how much he is going to get in that contract, it might be all of it, but it would be worth it because you would get Micah Parsons.
🧀 “I would expect that the Packers would be among the teams interested.”
“That’s the kind of team that I would say, if Micah was going to be traded, that he’d be going to.”
–@RapSheet on the Micah Parsons rumors via @PatMcAfeeShow pic.twitter.com/gllXYTPUUp
— CheeseheadTV 🧀 (@cheeseheadtv) August 18, 2025
Rapoport also noted that he doesn’t believe the Packers have made an official offer because that typically doesn’t happen unless a trade is actually in the works. Parsons is friends with Jordan Love, and the two have already discussed the possibility of Parsons joining the Green and Gold. The problem is that Jerry Jones will do everything in his power to stall any negotiations with other teams.
“Is there anybody particular around the league that you feel like should come into the organization, can make an impact for y’all?” Parsons asked Love on The Edge With Micah Parsons podcast. “Somebody you want to shout out?”
With a smile, Love replied, “I mean, the dude sitting right next to me.”
Ultimately, it makes sense for Green Bay to pursue Parsons. The Packers have over $30 million in available cap space. A trade would align with their short-term goal of contending and long-term roster-building philosophy, and even their starting quarterback has pitched Parsons on coming to Green Bay.
Hendrickson would also instantly improve the defensive line, but he’s 30 and would likely seek a new contract. The question is how many high-level seasons Hendrickson can realistically provide, whereas Parsons offers at least five more prime years. Hendrickson is coming off back-to-back 17.5-sack seasons, but he’s not getting any younger. Moreover, would Gutekunst be willing to pay nearly $40 million for a player who, theoretically, is already past his prime? History says no.
As I mentioned earlier, Dallas and Cincinnati will likely reach agreements with their respective players. Still, there’s far more fuel behind the Parsons-to-Green Bay rumors than Hendrickson. If Jeff Hafley could somehow get his hands on a player like Parsons, Green Bay’s front seven would gain a whole new level of dynamism and playmaking ability in the trenches.