Jerry: Parsons trade adds oomph to Packers game

FRISCO, Texas -- Micah Parsons' return to AT&T Stadium has Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones feeling some extra drive to win this week against the Green Bay Packers.

"Yes, I do," Jones said on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas. "Of course, I've said this time and time again, I think the world of Micah as an individual and of course know him well. I might say, 'I wish him well,' except it's obvious I don't this weekend in terms of Green Bay winning the game. And so, it makes for an exciting time."

Jones was asked if "he let his money get mad," in trading the Pro Bowl pass rusher.

"Not at all. It was nothing personal," Jones said. "I told you, I liked Micah. As much as people wanted to make that of it, there was no issue regarding feelings relative to the negotiations. Certainly not on my part. It was just par for the course."

When the Cowboys traded Parsons to the Packers on Aug. 28 for defensive tackle Kenny Clark and first round picks in 2026 and 2027, Jones said improving the run defense was as big of a part of the deal as the contract extension that could not get finalized.

The Cowboys, led by Javonte Williams, have run the ball well in the first three games. They won't have star receiver CeeDee Lamb this week because of a high ankle sprain, so running the ball might be the Cowboys' best option.

"Over the years, when I saw Micah mitigated, when I saw teams play him pretty well, which he's going to make some plays no matter how you play him, but when I saw people play us well with Micah in the game -- and it did happen -- then obviously we'll be looking to try to run those kinds of plays."

The Cowboys' run defense has improved this year, giving up just 3.7 yards per carry, but it ranks 17th overall. In Parsons' four seasons, the Cowboys never had a run defense that ranked better than 16th. In their playoff losses to the Packers (2023) and San Francisco 49ers (2021, 2022), the Cowboys allowed more than 400 yards rushing.

Even if the Cowboys had not traded Parsons, they would have looked for help up front.

"We weren't about to give up in terms of stopping the run had we not made the changes we made," Jones said. "But you're always looking to get better and we should have looked to get better because stopping the run has been a consistent, no matter if we've been through the coordinators over the last few years.

"We should have continually been working on ways, because when we got to the playoffs almost invariably our vulnerability was being able to stop the run. Now I really like our personnel we have in the run game, that we have inside right now."

Jones was asked if the trade of Parsons could have happened sooner and allowed the Cowboys to get extra picks in last spring's draft.

"We needed this timing. We need to be right here at the beginning of the season, in my mind, to get the highest value," Jones said. "I heard people talking about, 'Why didn't you trade him back before the draft?' Because draft picks become the most valuable timing-wise. You have them in the offseason before the draft. That's when the pick becomes much valuable and the player becomes less valuable if you're trading a player for potential picks."