Dallas Quietly Ensured Micah Parsons Can’t Join the Eagles Until at Least 2027
When the Cowboys sent Micah Parsons to the Packers this offseason, most assumed it was a clean split — a superstar pass rusher traded for two first-round picks and a defensive tackle.
In reality, Dallas built a firewall into the deal.
ESPN revealed this week that the trade included a rarely used “poison pill” clause: if Green Bay trades Parsons to any NFC East team before the 2027 season, the Packers would owe Dallas their 2028 first-round pick.
That clause effectively locks Parsons out of Philadelphia — his hometown team and a destination he’s long been linked to.
The Packers also applied a matching clause on Kenny Clark, who went the other direction in the trade. If Dallas moves Clark to any NFC North team, they’d owe Green Bay their own 2028 first-round pick. Both stipulations run through the 2026 season.
The mechanics are clear: Green Bay cannot deal Parsons to the Eagles, Commanders, or Giants without suffering a crippling penalty.
League databases recently flagged both teams’ 2028 first-rounders as “off-limits,” which raised eyebrows when Dallas acquired Quinnen Williams from the Jets last week — unable to include that future pick in the package.
The “poison pill” concept isn’t new. In 2008, the Packers used one when they traded Brett Favre to the Jets to prevent him from joining the Vikings. The Jets would have owed Green Bay three first-rounders if that happened.
This time, the intent was equally obvious. The Eagles reportedly made an aggressive push for Parsons during his summer holdout. The Cowboys refused to send him to a division rival — and now, they’ve guaranteed it can’t happen for years.
After the trade, Green Bay immediately extended Parsons on a four-year, $188 million deal with $120 million guaranteed.
He’s delivered exactly what the Packers paid for — 6.5 sacks and 14 QB hits in eight games — anchoring a defense ranked fifth in the league.
Meanwhile, Dallas’ defense has cratered to 31st in points allowed, and the team sits at 3–5–1.
Monday night, Parsons will line up across from the team he’s contractually blocked from joining — a symbolic twist in one of the league’s most quietly strategic trades.
💭 Your Turn
Should the Cowboys be applauded for playing chess with the trade market — or criticized for over-controlling Parsons’ future? Could this inspire other GMs to start inserting “poison pill” clauses into superstar deals?
Comment your thoughts below!