Micah Parsons, the Dallas Cowboys still talk about you a lot. Earlier this month, Dallas swung a trade for the New York Jets‘ defensive tackle, Quinnen Williams. But according to Jerry Jones, this move wasn’t some last-minute idea. During his latest spot on 105.3 The Fan, Jerry admitted he actually tried to land Williams in the offseason in exchange for a first-round pick and Micah, per Jon Machota of The Athletic.

“I thought that much of Williams,” the Cowboys general manager/owner said.

Once Jerry’s comments started circulating, Jets reporter Connor Hughes stepped in with some important clarification. He pushed back on the idea that a real Parsons-for-Williams proposal was ever on the table. According to Hughes, Jets owner Woody Johnson did have a brief conversation with Jerry. But the compensation Jerry referenced wasn’t formally offered.

“Zero doubt that Jerry said this,” Hughes said. “However this was never actually offered to the Jets, I’m told. There was a conversation between owners. It was a brief one. A Cowboys source told me the Jets weren’t ever going to the monetary value needed to extend Parsons (discussed this Week 2). Talks ended.”

Two major trade decisions from Jerry Jones have defined the Cowboys’ season so far. The first came before Week 1. Dallas sent Micah to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark. The second came just before this month’s trade deadline. The Cowboys acquired Williams to stabilize their struggling defense, which, at one point, ranked as the worst in the league.

But what’s grabbed the most attention recently is the revelation that Jerry’s interest in Williams goes back much further, even before the season began. During an NFL on FOX broadcast, Jay Glazer reported that the Cowboys tried to get a Parsons-for-Williams deal done. He stated:

“For the Quinnen Williams trade, the Dallas Cowboys, what people don’t know, actually all the way back in the summer, were trying to get Quinnen Williams. Wanted to offer up Micah Parsons to the Jets in a trade for Quinnen Williams and a draft pick. The Jets didn’t want to do it then. But as the Tuesday trade deadline started coming about, the Cowboys knew ‘I think we could get him.’ And whatever it took, they wanted to dive in and they were over the moon they could get Quinnen Williams.”

That said, the debate over Jerry’s decision to move on from Micah and bring in Williams isn’t disappearing anytime soon. But one thing is clear: since Williams’ arrival, Matt Eberflus’ defense has shown signs of stabilizing.

The Cowboys are 3-0 since Quinnen Williams ‘ arrival in Dallas

Since arriving in Dallas, Quinnen Williams has shown why Jerry was interested in him. And yes, why his Jets’ teammates viewed him as the unofficial captain of the captains. With Williams anchoring the defense, the Cowboys are 3-0. In the process, they’ve defeated the Las Vegas Raiders and last season’s NFC and AFC Champions: The Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs.

“You watch this guy interact with his teammates and the way he holds himself accountable, the way he teaches the young guys, like there was a moment against the Raiders where he’s talking to Ezeiruaku and guys like that. That’s what you want, you know?” Coach Brian Schottenheimer praised Williams for the way he communicates with the players.

And in three games so far, the 27-year-old has shown why his HC thinks so highly of him. He recorded nine tackles, 1.5 sacks, and a couple of tackles with loss. Thanks to three consecutive wins, the Cowboys are 6-5-1 and have improved their playoff chances heading into Week 14 against the Detroit Lions.