What Did The Packers Give Up For Parsons

Let’s be real for a second. If you’re a football fan, you’ve probably asked yourself this question at least once: What did the Green Bay Packers give up for Micah Parsons? I know I have. It’s one of those “what if” stories that makes the NFL draft so wild.

The short answer? Nothing. But also, everything. Let’s rewind to 2021. The Dallas Cowboys needed a game-wrecker on defense. The Packers? They needed a cornerback or a receiver, like, desperately. So when Dallas traded up to pick 12, they didn’t trade with Green Bay. They traded with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Packers just sat there and watched it happen.

The Big Trade That Wasn’t

Here’s the funny part. The Cowboys traded their 10th overall pick and a third-rounder to the Eagles for the 12th pick. That 12th pick? Micah Parsons. So technically, the Cowboys gave up moving down two spots and a third-round pick. But what about the Packers?

Well, Green Bay held the 29th overall pick that year. They had their eyes on someone else entirely. They were probably thinking, “Let’s just chill and grab a solid corner.” Instead, they watched a generational pass rusher fall right past them. Ouch.

What the Packers Actually Did With Their Picks

So, what did Green Bay get instead of Parsons? They took Eric Stokes at 29th overall. Stokes is a decent cornerback, no doubt. But comparing him to Parsons is like comparing a bicycle to a Ferrari. It’s just not the same vibe.

Then, in the second round, they drafted Josh Myers, a center. And later, they snagged Amari Rodgers, a receiver. None of these players have become stars. Meanwhile, Parsons was winning Defensive Rookie of the Year and scaring quarterbacks in their sleep. Talk about a missed opportunity.

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The “What If” Machine

Imagine if the Packers had traded up. They had the ammo. They had the need. Micah Parsons in green and gold? That would be a nightmare for the rest of the NFC. He’d be chasing Justin Fields and Jared Goff around like a dog chasing a squirrel. But they didn’t. Why?

Probably because they thought their defense was already good enough. Or maybe they really liked Stokes. We’ll never know for sure. But here’s the cool part: the Cowboys didn’t just get a player. They got a franchise cornerstone for basically spare change in draft pick terms.

Fun Comparison Time

You know that feeling when you’re at a garage sale and someone snags a vintage guitar for five bucks? That’s the Packers watching the Cowboys get Parsons. They didn’t actively give anything up, but they lost the chance to have a monster on their team.

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Compare it to the 2017 draft. The Chicago Bears traded up for Mitch Trubisky. The Saints got a haul of picks. But here, the Cowboys gave up almost nothing. It’s like trading a bag of chips for a winning lottery ticket.

The Bottom Line

So, what did the Packers give up for Micah Parsons? Nothing in trade capital. But they gave up the potential of having one of the most dominant defensive players of the decade. That’s a heavy price for doing nothing.

Let’s be honest, though. Drafts are unpredictable. Maybe the Packers would have messed up Parsons’ development. Unlikely, but possible. Still, every time you see Micah Parsons sack a quarterback, there’s a little part of Green Bay that winces. And that’s the best part of this story.

So next time you hear someone ask, “What did the Packers give up for Parsons?” You can smile and say, “Almost everything… except picks.” And that’s the tragic, beautiful truth of the NFL draft—sometimes the biggest win comes from doing absolutely nothing.