Final Review of Parsons / Williams Trade

[rojan]

For the sake of argument, lets say that the Cowboys and Packers draft picks are locked in at 14 and 24 for the next two drafts. Cowboys essentially traded up from the 2nd round to the 1st round this year and traded down in the 1st round next year.

Trading up from the 2nd round to 24th has a value of 329 points. Trading down from 14 to 24 had a value of 274. The difference in value is 55 points, which does not even equate to a 7th round pick.

So at the end of the day, the Parsons trade equated to Williams and Clark. Would you have traded Parsons for Williams and Clark??

If we keep Clark on the roster after this year then there are no cap savings. If we cut him then it is a straight up trade, Parsons for Williams, with potential for cap savings.

 

[ChronicCowboy]

It all depends on where the Packers and Cowboys draft picks land. Best case scenario is Dallas finishes this season above .500 and makes a deep playoff run next season along with the Packers. Otherwise, the Cowboys overpaid for Williams.

 

[Redsfan_83]

No guarantee the Packers finish as high as we thought they would to start the season. Lost a Pro Bowl TE, an inconsistent TE and a DE guy who will get worse as the weather does. There is hope we get a better pick in '25 than at first thought. Realistically, we will have 6-7 wins by the end of the season.

As for '26. This team should not be as bad as the record indicates it will be in '25, and GB? Who the heck knows, they have question marks everywhere

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

I would’ve never traded Micah. But if I got offered Quinnen Williams for Micah I would've done it.

Some of us said as much months ago.

TJ Watt, Garrett, Crosby, Micah…..ring less.

Aaron Donald, Fletcher Cox, Chris Jones, Jalen Carter….rings.

 

[big dog cowboy]

So at the end of the day, the Parsons trade equated to Williams and Clark.

That's far from the whole picture. You aren't considering the salary cap space and what the Cowboys can with all the money not spent on Parsons. Not to mention, the Cowboys have unspent draft capital that will yield untold players. At the end of the day? No, far from it.

 

[DFWJC]

For the sake of argument, lets say that the Cowboys and Packers draft picks are locked in at 14 and 24 for the next two drafts. Cowboys essentially traded up from the 2nd round to the 1st round this year and traded down in the 1st round next year.

Trading up from the 2nd round to 24th has a value of 329 points. Trading down from 14 to 24 had a value of 274. The difference in value is 55 points, which does not even equate to a 7th round pick.

So at the end of the day, the Parsons trade equated to Williams and Clark. Would you have traded Parsons for Williams and Clark??

If we keep Clark on the roster after this year then there are no cap savings. If we cut him then it is a straight up trade, Parsons for Williams, with potential for cap savings.

fwiw....55 points is a late 4th rounder

but then there's that pesky cap space too

I guess we'll know more when the dust settles

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

So at the end of the day, the Parsons trade equated to Williams and Clark. Would you have traded Parsons for Williams and Clark??

No chance. Parsons is a hall of famer at the second most valuable position on the field

But you didn’t just trade him for that; you traded him for cap flexibility as well. Clark, Quinnen, and the cap flexibility is a better deal. 47m$ a year for a non qb is a lot

Had you not also just paid Osa 20m$ a year, this Would look way better. Maybe if you run a bear front that plays all 3 50+ snaps a game then that’ll work out well. But part of Osa’s contract value was that you had nothing close to Osa at the DT position. I wonder if you could move off him… hopefully if you don’t it doesn’t mean you have to let Clark walk

 

[ErikWilliamsHeadSlap]

If nobody runs on us up the middle the rest of this season, it will be hard for them to dump Clark. Maybe in 2027. After we extend Williams.

 

[Ironicalicon]

For the sake of argument, lets say that the Cowboys and Packers draft picks are locked in at 14 and 24 for the next two drafts. Cowboys essentially traded up from the 2nd round to the 1st round this year and traded down in the 1st round next year.

Trading up from the 2nd round to 24th has a value of 329 points. Trading down from 14 to 24 had a value of 274. The difference in value is 55 points, which does not even equate to a 7th round pick.

So at the end of the day, the Parsons trade equated to Williams and Clark. Would you have traded Parsons for Williams and Clark??

If we keep Clark on the roster after this year then there are no cap savings. If we cut him then it is a straight up trade, Parsons for Williams, with potential for cap savings.

Yeah, I would've done that, especially if I could've traded Osa for a 4th.

 

[rojan]

That's far from the whole picture. You aren't considering the salary cap space and what the Cowboys can with all the money not spent on Parsons. Not to mention, the Cowboys have unspent draft capital that will yield untold players. At the end of the day? No, far from it.

I do acknowledge that traditionally DTs are cheaper than Edge Rushers, however, Parsons cap hit for the next 3 years is very friendly. Williams will be looking to get extended sooner than later as well.

 

[rojan]

If nobody runs on us up the middle the rest of this season, it will be hard for them to dump Clark. Maybe in 2027. After we extend Williams.

Best case is that he plays great and we extend him to bring his cap hit down to around $10M. We will have about $50M invested in 3 DTs, which I'm ok with if it means stopping the run and protecting the LBs.

 

[jazzcat22]

I still think they overpaid for Williams. But time will tell.

I do not like not having a 2nd and 3rd round draft pick. But they can always trade down to get those. Depending what player is available to draft. Will a mid 20's player be that much better than 2nd and 3rd round players.

I did not like giving up that 1st round in 2027 either. Even though there is a good argument that they got an all pro DT, and not blowing another draft pick on one.

The trade for Pickens was great, a 3rd round pick, but only if they can keep him. Otherwise, they wait for a 3rd round comp pick in 2027.

Essentially for Micah. They get Clark and Williams for a 1st in 2026. But give up a 2nd in 2026, a 1st in 2027, and Mazi. Now some will say no great loss in Mazi. But it needed up being a wasted 1st round pick. Essentially they sent 2 1st round picks, and a 2nd to NY for Williams.
They save $47 million per year from Micah, but now how does Clark and Williams affect the cap going forward.

Everyone will look at this in different ways. The media, depending their bias for or against the Cowboys.
Fans depending on if they just want draft picks, or players.

For me I still am trying to figure it all out. For a team that is probably not going to even compete for a playoff spot. I rather have those draft picks. As the way I feel now. Maybe in a few weeks, I may think differently.

 

[gimmesix]

For the sake of argument, lets say that the Cowboys and Packers draft picks are locked in at 14 and 24 for the next two drafts. Cowboys essentially traded up from the 2nd round to the 1st round this year and traded down in the 1st round next year.

Trading up from the 2nd round to 24th has a value of 329 points. Trading down from 14 to 24 had a value of 274. The difference in value is 55 points, which does not even equate to a 7th round pick.

So at the end of the day, the Parsons trade equated to Williams and Clark. Would you have traded Parsons for Williams and Clark??

If we keep Clark on the roster after this year then there are no cap savings. If we cut him then it is a straight up trade, Parsons for Williams, with potential for cap savings.

I probably would have, because 3-tech is the most important DL position in this scheme, and we get a true NT to boot. And that's nothing against Parsons, who is a top pass rushing talent in this league no matter what fans think of his antics. Quinnen Williams is a player I wanted Dallas to trade for before he had his breakout season and he's been one of the top 3-techs ever since.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

It all depends on where the Packers and Cowboys draft picks land. Best case scenario is Dallas finishes this season above .500 and makes a deep playoff run next season along with the Packers. Otherwise, the Cowboys overpaid for Williams.

I don’t know if finishing above .500 would be the “best case” this season.

Agree that next season we really need to make a deep playoff run to help justify the compensation for Q. Williams.

 

[Kwyn]

No chance. Parsons is a hall of famer at the second most valuable position on the field

But you didn’t just trade him for that; you traded him for cap flexibility as well. Clark, Quinnen, and the cap flexibility is a better deal. 47m$ a year for a non qb is a lot

Had you not also just paid Osa 20m$ a year, this Would look way better. Maybe if you run a bear front that plays all 3 50+ snaps a game then that’ll work out well. But part of Osa’s contract value was that you had nothing close to Osa at the DT position. I wonder if you could move off him… hopefully if you don’t it doesn’t mean you have to let Clark walk

Jerry has already spent every bit of savings and then some.

Quennin and Logan combine for more than Parsons over the next three years

There’s been a spending spree this year but people still talk about $47m

 

[kskboys]

For the sake of argument, lets say that the Cowboys and Packers draft picks are locked in at 14 and 24 for the next two drafts. Cowboys essentially traded up from the 2nd round to the 1st round this year and traded down in the 1st round next year.

Trading up from the 2nd round to 24th has a value of 329 points. Trading down from 14 to 24 had a value of 274. The difference in value is 55 points, which does not even equate to a 7th round pick.

So at the end of the day, the Parsons trade equated to Williams and Clark. Would you have traded Parsons for Williams and Clark??

If we keep Clark on the roster after this year then there are no cap savings. If we cut him then it is a straight up trade, Parsons for Williams, with potential for cap savings.

And a 1st. Must include that. And dumping Mazi's contract.

 

[kskboys]

No chance. Parsons is a hall of famer at the second most valuable position on the field

But you didn’t just trade him for that; you traded him for cap flexibility as well. Clark, Quinnen, and the cap flexibility is a better deal. 47m$ a year for a non qb is a lot

Had you not also just paid Osa 20m$ a year, this Would look way better. Maybe if you run a bear front that plays all 3 50+ snaps a game then that’ll work out well. But part of Osa’s contract value was that you had nothing close to Osa at the DT position. I wonder if you could move off him… hopefully if you don’t it doesn’t mean you have to let Clark walk

OK, but a couple things. Q is also playing at a HOF level. And I don't consider it the 2nd most valuable position. Why? Because the DE position is way too dependent on the DT position, as the QB can simply step up to avoid the edge rush if the DTs don't push the pocket. I consider the DT position to be the most important position on D, as it affects every other position in a way no other position on D does.

I know, I know, they posted that little thingie stating that CBs and edge rushers are the 2 most important positions on D. And yet, the super bowl participants invariably have great DTs, and often average DEs. I mean, you can't suck at DE, don't get me wrong, but DT is simply more important.

 

[Kwyn]

OK, but a couple things. Q is also playing at a HOF level. And I don't consider it the 2nd most valuable position. Why? Because the DE position is way too dependent on the DT position, as the QB can simply step up to avoid the edge rush if the DTs don't push the pocket. I consider the DT position to be the most important position on D, as it affects every other position in a way no other position on D does.

I know, I know, they posted that little thingie stating that CBs and edge rushers are the 2 most important positions on D. And yet, the super bowl participants invariably have great DTs, and often average DEs. I mean, you can't suck at DE, don't get me wrong, but DT is simply more important.

Quennin is not at that same level and is not on a HOF trajectory. He’s just not.

I am and have been a fan since he came into the league but let’s not get carried away.

 

[Ranching]

For the sake of argument, lets say that the Cowboys and Packers draft picks are locked in at 14 and 24 for the next two drafts. Cowboys essentially traded up from the 2nd round to the 1st round this year and traded down in the 1st round next year.

Trading up from the 2nd round to 24th has a value of 329 points. Trading down from 14 to 24 had a value of 274. The difference in value is 55 points, which does not even equate to a 7th round pick.

So at the end of the day, the Parsons trade equated to Williams and Clark. Would you have traded Parsons for Williams and Clark??

If we keep Clark on the roster after this year then there are no cap savings. If we cut him then it is a straight up trade, Parsons for Williams, with potential for cap savings.

If you dont want to make him the highest paid defensive player, especially with all the beatings he's taken as an undersized DE...yes, trade him. If that's the case, we made out like bandits.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

OK, but a couple things. Q is also playing at a HOF level. And I don't consider it the 2nd most valuable position. Why? Because the DE position is way too dependent on the DT position, as the QB can simply step up to avoid the edge rush if the DTs don't push the pocket. I consider the DT position to be the most important position on D, as it affects every other position in a way no other position on D does.

I know, I know, they posted that little thingie stating that CBs and edge rushers are the 2 most important positions on D. And yet, the super bowl participants invariably have great DTs, and often average DEs. I mean, you can't suck at DE, don't get me wrong, but DT is simply more important.

Quinnen’s kind of in a grey area right now. He was previously all-pro, but he hasn’t played up to that level aside from that one season. Still a perennial pro bowler, but in the era of Aaron Donald and Chris Jones and Dexter Lawrence… that’s a lot closer to a Jeffrey Simmons or a Deforest Buckner. For players like him, team success is what’s gonna ultimately get him over the top if he does make the hall.

Take Kevin Williams: 311 lb 3-tech, five time first team all-pro. retired after 2015, not a hall of famer in large part because he just didn’t matter after december

If Quinnen helps Dallas make some NFCCG’s and even a SB while maintaining this pro bowl level, I could definitely see him getting in after a long career. But if it continues to play out like it did in NYJ or how Dallas has in recent times…. Tough to say he’s outdoing Kevin Williams or Fletcher Cox who I’m also not sure makes it in