Colin Cowherd Claims Cowboys Upgraded Defense by Trading Micah Parsons

FS1's Colin Cowherd claimed that the Cowboys won the Micah Parsons trade after drafting four defensive players by using the picks they had acquired as draft compensation.

Colin Cowherd Claims Cowboys Upgraded Defense by Trading Micah Parsons

Jerry Jones, Micah Parsons and Colin Cowherd inside the circle (Image via IMAGO/X)

In Short
  • Micah Parsons was traded from the Dallas Cowboys to the Green Bay Packers in 2025, sparking significant media attention.
  • The Cowboys received Kenny Clark and two first-round picks in exchange for Parsons, later trading for Quinnen Williams and drafting Caleb Downs.
  • Colin Cowherd supported the trade, arguing it allowed the Cowboys to improve their defense while avoiding a costly long-term contract for Parsons.

Micah Parsons‘ trade from the Dallas Cowboys to the Green Bay Packers created a media frenzy in 2025. Seven months have passed since then, but the football world is still talking about the trade, and for good reason. That’s because it took until the end of the three-day draft carnival in Pittsburgh for the trade to take shape.

The Cowboys received pass rusher Kenny Clark and two first-round picks as compensation in the Parsons trade. Jerry Jones quickly replenished the roster by trading for Quinnen Williams from the New York Jets. The Cowboys gave up a second-round draft pick.

On the first day of the 2026 NFL Draft, Jones made headlines by taking Ohio State standout safety Caleb Downs 11th overall. Next, Jones pulled off the unthinkable. As the Cowboys were on the clock at 20th overall, the veteran owner accepted a trade from rivals Philadelphia Eagles and traded back to 23rd. The Eagles selected wide receiver Makai Lemon from USC, and the Cowboys drafted UCF edge rusher Malachi Lawrence.

As trade compensation, the Eagles gave the Cowboys two fourth-round picks. Dallas used those picks on Florida cornerback Devin Moore (114th overall) and Alabama defensive tackle LT Overton (137th overall). With the addition of Overton, the Cowboys finally wrapped up the Parsons trade.

Colin Cowherd of FOX Sports quickly picked up the story and added his spin to the narrative. When the Cowboys made the Parsons trade, it was widely believed that Jones had made a mistake by letting one of the premier pass rushers go. Cowherd was among the few who supported Jones’ move, and after the business he has done in the draft, he once again echoed that Dallas is the real winner in the trade.

This is why I totally supported the Micah Parsons trade that everybody went nuts over… And I said, ‘If you sign Micah Parsons with CeeDee Lamb and Dak [Prescott]… You have no flexibility.’

Colin Cowherd said on The Herd

Cowherd noted that the Cowboys’ attempts to transform Parsons into a linebacker from an edge rusher did not work. Parsons went on to record 65 sacks and 297 combined tackles, but struggled to break down being double-teamed and faced difficulties stopping the run. Cowherd argued that it does not make much sense to pay $50 million APY to a player who doesn’t have a similar playing style as TJ Watt or Myles Garrett. So moving him to the Packers was the need of the hour.

There are so few defensive guys I’m paying $148-168M to, and Micah’s great, but he’s not one of them!

Colin Cowherd added

That does not mean Parsons cannot be a great player. He can with the Packers. Cowherd called him a “great relief pitcher.” For the Cowboys, they needed multiple defensive players, and they got them in the draft.

Micah Parsons offered advice to Caleb Downs on how to be a great Dallas Cowboys player

Downs was the fourth Buckeye to be taken in the draft, after WR Carnell Tate and a couple of linebackers, Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese. However, Cowherd believes that Downs has the highest ceiling among them. Cowherd claimed that the Cowboys couldn’t have done any better with their first pick.

Colin Cowherd Claims Cowboys Upgraded Defense by Trading Micah Parsons
Micah Parsons (Image via IMAGO)

Later that day, Downs virtually met with Parsons on the Bleacher Report’s draft show. Downs asked for some advice on how to be a true Dallas Cowboy.

They’re not drafting you to be a player. They’re drafting you to be the player that you already are. To come in that system and dominate. You’re here to start and be the guy. You are the guy. Like I said earlier in the draft, you don’t wish upon a star. You land on it.

Micah Parsons told Downs

Dallas drafted Parsons, a Penn State alum, 12th overall in 2021. In the next four years with the Cowboys, he received two All-Pro and four Pro Bowl honors.

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