The Dallas Cowboys shook up the football world on Thursday by trading star pass rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers. The Bears' NFC North Division rivals typically don't make moves like this throughout the course of their history, but they were a playoff team last year who must feel like their window to compete for a Super Bowl is upon them.
They sent first-round picks in each of the next two NFL Drafts, along with Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark to Dallas in exchange for Parsons, and promptly signed him to a reported four-year extension worth $188 million.
How much does this impact the Chicago Bears?
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Simply put, not as much as one may surmise. At most, the Bears and Packers would play three times in a given season—twice in the regular season per NFL Division scheduling and possibly once in the playoffs, if both teams were to qualify and also lined up in the same bracket. However, a playoff loss ends a team's season. If the teams were to meet in the playoffs, the Bears cannot allow Parsons to wreck the game for them. Parsons does have that "gamewrecker" ability.
Parsons is one of only two players in NFL history to record 12 or more sacks in each of his first four seasons. The other player to accomplish that feat? Another pass rusher the Packers traded for back in 1992, Hall of Famer Reggie White. White and Parsons are different players, but there's a reason those two are the only players with that kind of consistent productivity from the jump—game-changing pass rush ability.
The one downside to his game that has been brought up ad nauseam by fans and media alike, is that he is not the best run-stopping edge out there. If the Bears can run the ball effectively against the Packers, that may be the key to victory. In a 2023 game against the Cowboys with Micah Parsons, Ben Johnson called the Lions offense to the tune of 420 total yards, including 125 rushing, 6.3 yards per play and 21 first downs.
The Lions lost that game behind two interceptions from quarterback Jared Goff. Obviously, Johnson has said on several occasions that the Bears will not run the same offense as the Lions teams he coached, that they will tailor the offense to the player in the building and their skillsets, but it is reassuring that he has had offensive success calling plays against Parsons in the past.
Luckily for the Bears, they don't have to worry about how they will deal with Parsons until Week 14, when they travel to Lambeau Field for what should be a very cold December afternoon. By that time, there will be film on Parsons in Green Bay to try to help prepare against.