Micah Parsons
Emilee Chinn/Getty
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - DECEMBER 29: Micah Parsons #11 of the Dallas Cowboys warms up before a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on December 29, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
There’s no debate. The Green Bay Packers won their trade with the Dallas Cowboys to acquire Micah Parsons in one of the most surprising trades in NFL history.
However, what this means for Green Bay moving forward is complicated.
After sending two first-round picks and Kenny Clark to the Cowboys, the Packers also had to sign Parsons to a lucrative four-year, $188 million extension, the largest contract ever awarded to a non-quarterback in league history.
“To put Parsons’ salary in perspective, just consider this: He’s now making more than Patrick Mahomes, who has a contract that averages $45 million per year,” CBS Sports’ John Breech wrote before a concerning revelation.
“Parsons certainly deserves the money, but the problem with giving a player big money is that it simply hasn’t translated to Super Bowl success,” he added.
Accompanying Jordan Love atop the Packers cap sheet, Parson and his new contract put Green Bay in a precarious place to backfill the roster and build a winner.
Micah Parsons, Jordan Love Set NFL Record at Packers’ Expense
Love at $55 million a year and Parsons at $47 million annually make them the most expensive duo in the NFL and the first to surpass $100 million combined — putting some serious constraints on building the rest of the roster in future years.
Ten tandems currently make an average of at least $80 million per year combined, and only one of those tandems has won a Super Bowl.
Per CBS Sports:
Jordan Love / Micah Parsons Packers $102 million
Joe Burrow / Ja’Marr Chase Bengals $95.25 million
Dak Prescott / CeeDee Lamb Cowboys $94 million
Brock Purdy / Nick Bosa 49ers $87 million
Deshaun Watson / Myles Garrett Browns $86 million
Tua Tagovailoa / Tyreek Hill Dolphins $83.1 million
Trevor Lawrence / Josh Hines-Allen Jaguars $83.25 million
Jared Goff / Amon-Ra St. Brown Lions $83 million
Jalen Hurts / A.J. Brown* Eagles $83 million
Justin Herbert / Rashawn Slater Chargers $81 million
Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown are the only duo to win a Super Bowl as player contracts have exploded this past decade. However, the Philadelphia Eagles have maintained a bevy of draft capital to make trades and attract veteran free agents to join a Super Bowl-caliber roster.
Green Bay just sent its first-round picks for the next two years to Dallas. The Packers also have a roster with a few holes remaining at key positions, especially cornerback.
If Green Bay is truly a Parsons away from being a true Super Bowl contender, then the deal was worthwhile. However, the runway is very short to see that realized before the Packers are forced to cut some of their veteran talent to get under the salary cap for future years.
Micah Parsons Moves Packers Super Bowl Odds Significantly
Whether the Parsons move truly moves the needle for the Packers is up for debate, but Vegas seems to think so.
Before the deal, the Packers were tied for the ninth-best odds (+2200) at winning the Super Bowl, per FanDuel Sportsbook.
After? Green Bay holds the fifth-best odds at +1200.
That is a massive shift made by just one new addition to the defense, which also came with losing Clark.
Oddsmakers clearly see the value that Parsons will bring to Green Bay, which also became the favorite to win the NFC North.