Cowboys Turned Down ‘Biggest Offer’ From Eagles for Micah Parsons, Fox Reports
Jay Glazer says Philadelphia offered two first-round picks and additional draft capital before Dallas completed trade sending Parsons to Green Bay
The Dallas Cowboys declined what Fox analyst Jay Glazer called the “biggest offer” from the Philadelphia Eagles for All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons before ultimately trading him to the Green Bay Packers, sources told Glazer during Fox’s pregame show Sunday.
Glazer said the Eagles’ package included two first-round picks along with a third-round pick, a fifth-round pick and other draft capital. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones preferred to move Parsons out of the NFC entirely rather than send him to a division rival, Glazer added, and Dallas ultimately accepted Green Bay’s offer that included two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark.
Parsons, who held out of Cowboys training camp, was traded to the Packers on Aug. 28 and then signed a four-year contract extension reportedly worth $186 million. The 26-year-old linebacker is scheduled to make his Packers debut Sunday against the Detroit Lions.
Glazer said Jones also preferred trading Parsons to an AFC team, but Dallas did not find an offer that matched Green Bay’s deal. The inclusion of Kenny Clark, a veteran defensive tackle, was cited by Glazer as a decisive element that swayed the Cowboys’ front office and ownership.
Dallas opened the 2025 regular season Thursday night with a 24-20 loss at Philadelphia, the defending Super Bowl champions. The matchup marked Parsons’ first return to facing his former division as a non-Cowboy, though he did not play in that game for Green Bay.
The trade marked one of the highest-profile in-season moves involving a reigning defensive star. Parsons, a multi-year All-Pro and former Defensive Player of the Year candidate, had been central to offseason speculation after missing portions of training camp while negotiating his contract status with Dallas.
Green Bay’s deal sent significant draft capital to Dallas and added Clark, a four-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman, to shore up a Cowboys defensive front that lost Parsons’ pass-rushing presence. The Packers, in exchange, acquired one of the NFL’s premier edge rushers and immediately finalized a lucrative contract extension.
Teams and league officials typically do not disclose full details of trade negotiations, and neither the Cowboys nor the Eagles issued detailed public accounts of offers or discussions. The Cowboys announced the trade to Green Bay at the end of August and framed the deal as a return for value in both picks and a veteran defensive lineman.
The Eagles’ reported proposal — two first-round selections plus later picks — underscored Philadelphia’s interest in strengthening its defensive depth after returning to the field as Super Bowl champions. NFL clubs often weigh the competitive implications of sending premier players to division rivals, and Jones’ reported reluctance to deal Parsons to a fellow NFC East franchise reflected that calculus.
Parsons’ emergence as one of the league’s top playmakers had made him one of the most coveted players available. The trade to Green Bay changed the balance of power discussions in the NFC and sets up a new chapter for Parsons and for the Cowboys, who opened the season without him in the lineup.
Parsons is expected to take the field Sunday in Detroit as the Packers look to incorporate him into their defense. The Cowboys will enter their next game having faced the former All-Pro and the team that had made a substantial offer to acquire him, further highlighting the immediate and ongoing ramifications of the late-August trade.
