The Green Bay Packers host the Detroit Lions in what is certainly the top game, on the NFC side, of NFL Kickoff weekend. On the AFC side it’s no doubt Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills on Sunday Night Football. Lions at Packers will have major NFC North division title implications, but the main storyline is obvious- Micah Parsons.
Yes, Micah Parsons mania swept through Title Town this past week when we learned that the generational talent was finally getting his much needed exit from the Dallas Cowboys.
The Penn State product (interesting how arguably the best offensive player in the league, Saquon Barkley, and the best defender, went to PSU) who has made first team All-Pro status in two of his four NFL seasons, was sent to Cheesehead land in exchange for defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two first-round draft picks.
Upon arriving in Lambeau, Micah Parsons became the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, inking a four-year, $188,000,000 deal.
This trade was an absolute fleecing by Green Bay, a complete and total heist. Of course, this is to be expected when you’re trading for a player that you already know will never feature for his current team again. The Cowboys had no bargaining power, given the situation.
So how huge is it for the Pack, to now have Micah Parsons on board?
“He’s arguably the best defensive player in the league and has already made four Pro Bowls since coming into the NFL in 2021, writes RG.org.
“The linebacker won Defensive Rookie of the Year in his rookie campaign and has collected a minimum of 12 sacks in every season. The statistics speak for themselves.”
That’s absolutely right!
Edge Rusher is the most en vogue position in football right now, and Parsons is the best of the best at this particular slot. Whether you’re at defensive end or outside linebacker, if you can consistently pressure the QB (and Parsons’ numbers convey that), you are the literal game-changer.
And you will get paid accordingly. And while Parsons was just with a team that has a fan base big enough to match the size of his game, Green Bay hits different.
While both the Packers and Cowboys have an extremely rabid fanbase, giant in size, there is something about the Cheeseheads that just hits a little different.
So when you have a generational talent, at the league’s most fashionable position moving to the frozen tundra, where legions of ultra-passionate supporters await, well, it all just seems like a perfect fit.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter