Surprise, surprise! Micah Parsons, the foundation of the Dallas Cowboys‘ defense, has been sent to Green Bay mere a week before the NFL season begins. Following months of boasts from Jerry Jones that sending him anywhere was never an option, Jones made one of the most surprising transactions in league history. The Cowboys traded the All-Pro pass rusher to the Packers on Thursday for two future first-round picks (2026 and 2027) and veteran defensive tackle Kenny Clark. It came after a summer-long contract standoff between Parsons and Dallas, where the 26-year-old negotiated for an extension that would’ve reset the defensive market. But hold on! The blame is not on the owner.

Stephen Jones laid out the reasoning at the press conference: ”The other thing that came into play big between coach Schottenheimer and coach Eberflus and talking about the defense and obviously getting a player like Kenny Clark; is we also feel in addition to the depth, is you can scheme pressure as well. I think coach Eberflus has been really good at that in terms of using scheme to get pressure on the quarterback. But what’s tough to scheme is to stop the run.”

In short, Stephen asserted that Eberflus’ defense philosophy could put pressure without Parsons. And Clark would assist in shoring up a subpar run defense. However, it all sounded like Dallas was making Eberflus a convenient scapegoat. They spun his scheme as a reason for getting rid of the most disruptive player on their team. For a coach just let go by the Bears for not getting things done, that’s a hard sell.

The Packers moved in and offered Parsons a four-year, $188 million contract. This ranked him as the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. Like that, Parsons’ four-year Dallas stint was over. The trade itself was surprising, but how the Cowboys’ front office justified it raised even more eyebrows. Rather than simply acknowledging that this was a cost-cutting move. Jerry and Stephen Jones relied heavily on their trust in the defensive coordinator, Matt Eberflus.

Jerry Jones then doubled down with his signature optimism: “The other thing that I want to say, is not only gives us four first-round picks over the next two years…nothing says we can’t use some of those picks right now, to go get somebody right now; don’t rule that out.” That classic Jerry move, we lost a superstar, but check out the bright deal, it made people more skeptical. Draft picks don’t equate to Parsons’ output tomorrow, and Clark might be a good player, but he ain’t Micah.

The irony is difficult to overlook. Last season, Matt Eberflus got fired in Chicago following a nasty meltdown. The Bears entered 2024 with high hopes, led by rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, new stars like Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze, and added to the buzz. But following six consecutive defeats, the Bears shut down Eberflus. His inability to generate pressure, the very thing Stephen Jones is now selling, became his undoing. And now, his name is invoked as part of the justification for Dallas letting go of Parsons. Without him, Eberflus will need to show that he can make noise through scheme — something Bears and Colts fans are not sure he can do.

Clark moderates the line of scrimmage, while Parsons alters game plans in their entirety. Clark should provide Dallas interior strength against the run, but it’s unfair to expect him to fill Parsons’ disrupting role. Meanwhile, in Green Bay, Parsons instantly becomes the center of a defense that already features Rashan Gary.

Fan backlash to the “scheme” excuse for Micah Parsons’ exit

If the Jones family believed fans would agree with the “scheme over star” reason, they were mistaken. Responses were quick, especially from Chicago, who know Eberflus all too well. One fan commented: “Eberflus sure didn’t scheme up pressure for the Bears last year.” His Chicago defense ranked almost at the bottom in sacks, adding to doubt. Another added: “I just remembered the Cowboys are coached by Shotty and Flus. Makes Dak’s comments to Rams about ‘See you in NFCCG’ all the funnier.” The shot was not only on the trade but also on Dallas’ cockiness with a coaching pair many rate as mediocre at best.

A Colts supporter chimed in: “You absolutely can scheme for a pass rush but… I assure you he’s incapable of doing it. What a 🤡 show.”  This reinforced the perception that Flus’ reputation doesn’t match his record in Indy or Chicago.

Another Bears fan came sharper: “Anything that fraud idiot Eberflus says… good luck Dallas, he is a gypsy.”  We can clearly see years of frustration from poor performances that caused fans to lose trust in his defense. And lastly, one straightforward question: “Does this moron even know anything about his coaches? Eberflus doesn’t like to blitz lol.” A visible contradiction of the Cowboys’ press conference message, and a reminder that fans aren’t buying their reasoning.

Every one of those responses leads back to the same conclusion. The Cowboys didn’t trade Parsons due to trust in the scheme. They traded him due to finances or perhaps the ‘feud,’ and are now trying to hide behind Eberflus’ name.