Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys were much-maligned for their handling of the Micah Parsons fiasco this summer. The Cowboys were unwilling to pay top dollar for one of the game’s most dynamic defensive players and ultimately traded him to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for Kenny Clark and two first-round picks.
The Cowboys were widely criticized for trading Parsons to one of the league’s best teams, which hurt the value of those picks. Furthermore, many expected the Cowboys’ defense to struggle without Parsons. To nobody’s surprise so far, they have in fact struggled; Dallas has given up the most yards per game in the league (401.6).
As the trade deadline approaches, it’s not much of a shocker that the Cowboys are in the market for some defensive reinforcements. However, it is somewhat of a surprise that Dallas is looking for a star-level edge rusher after refusing to pay Parsons. Recently, Trey Wingo reported that they’re interested in just that: Maxx Crosby.
It’s worth wondering if Crosby is really an upgrade over Parsons and what the Cowboys would have to give up to land the Las Vegas Raiders star.
The Cowboys would likely have to give up more for Crosby than they received for Parsons
When comparing the two players, Parsons’ versatility stands out. He is capable of lining up as an edge rusher and as a linebacker. In fact, this is the first season that Parsons hasn’t been listed as a linebacker primarily. Currently, though, Crosby has more tackles (28) than Parsons (16) this season.
However, Parsons has slightly more sacks (5.5 to 4). Additionally, Parsons has recorded pressures than Crosby (19 to 14). Crosby has traditionally had a slightly higher pressure rate and recorded more tackles, but it’s worth noting that Parsons has a higher PFF grade (93.3) than Crosby (78).
While it’s close, and Crosby is a terrific player, I value Parsons’ ability to line up in different areas of the field. The consensus is that Parsons is the better player as well: He has made two All-Pro first teams and two All-Pro second teams, while Crosby has never made an All-Pro team at all.
Despite this, it’s possible that the Cowboys have to give up more than they received for Parsons if they want to land Crosby. The uncertainty around Parsons’ contract hurt his trade value. Conversely, Crosby is under contract until 2029 (with a possible out in 2028).
After being traded to the Packers, Parsons received a four-year, $186 million extension. Parsons’ average annual value of $46 million is $9 million more than Crosby’s. If the Cowboys end up trading for Crosby, Jerry Jones will be saving some money (which shouldn’t matter for the owner of the Cowboys), but losing some assets and ultimately getting a slightly worse player.
