Jerry Jones Gives A Lesson In Poor Salesmanship While Discussing Micah Parsons Trade

The used car salesman sat down on Thursday evening and began to explain how his lot that just sold off a Rolls-Royce is better now because it added a nice Ford truck in its place.

That's how it felt when Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones met with reporters and began to explain his decision not to sign Micah Parsons to a long-term contract extension and instead trade him to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two first-round draft picks down the road.

(Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)

Jones Seeks Cowboys Best Interest

"Things are good here, things are good here," Jones said, as if repeating his opinion was going to change the facts many NFL people view differently. "We have just decided that it was in the best interest of our team to take the consideration that we have – we appreciate his four years – but we can take that consideration, and we can win, in our minds, more than if we had gone the other way and signed him."

"In our judgment," Jones added, "this gives us a better chance to be a better team than we have been the last several years, since Micah's been here."

Jones then explained how trading the pass rusher that delivered at least 12 sacks in each of his first four seasons – a feat matched in NFL history only by Reggie White – was better because the Cowboys got a nine-year veteran in Clark.

The used car salesman began to make his pitch for the truck.

Sep 22, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons (11) drops back in coverage during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images

Kenny Clark Helps Stop The Run

"I'm very, very excited about the prospects, about what we've done for the Cowboys here," Jones said. "I wouldn't have done it. I had total control to have it the other way. So I'm excited. We got what we wanted."

And what is it exactly the Ford is going to give the Cowboys now that the super-expensive Rolls-Royce could not?

 "We did what I think was in the best interest of our organization – not only in the future but right now, this season, as well," Jones said. "We gained a Pro Bowl player. We gained a Pro Bowl player in an area we had big concern in, or concerns in – on the inside of our defense."

The primary reason Jones gave for going with Clark and the prospect of having two extra first-round picks is that Dallas has struggled at stopping the run. And he made it seem as if adding Clark would solve that problem.

Jan 12, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Kenny Clark (97) against the Philadelphia Eagles in an NFC wild card game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Stats Belie The Sales Pitch

This was, of course, accepted by people interested in the Ford. But they didn't look under the hood or kick the tires.

Clark is, indeed, a good player. He's a three-time Pro Bowler, but he was not one last season. And he is by no means a game-wrecker on the scale Parsons has been. And this:

The past four years – which coincide with the years Parsons has been in the league – the Packers have yielded fewer rushing yards than the Cowboys twice. But guess what? The Cowboys have yielded fewer rushing yards than the Packers twice.

Yes, last year the Cowboys were bad against the run – giving up 137.1 rushing yards per game. And the Packers yielded only 99.4 yards per game rushing.

But, was that Clark? Or did the emergence of Devonte Wyatt help? Because in 2023 and 2022, before Wyatt's breakout, the Packers run defense was 28th and 26th in the NFL in run defense, respectively. How much did Clark help then?

Dallas Cowboys pass rushers DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons chase Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson at Huntington Bank Field in Ohio. (Ken Blaze-Imagn Images)

Jones: Run-Stopping More Important 

The car salesman doesn't care about those irritating facts. He's got a narrative and a Ford to sell. So, he's now going to tell us the Rolls-Royce isn't that great. It's, like, too nice and plush and stuff.

"We need to stop the run," Jones said. "And we haven't been able to stop the run at key times for several years. When you have the kind of extraordinary pass rush that Micah had, then the way to mitigate that pass rush is to run at you."

Jones also explained the Cowboys could successfully endure the loss of Parsons because he has a garage full of good reserve pass-rushers. 

"Where we're strong is in our pass-rushing depth," he said. 

The Cowboys have Marshawn Kneeland, James Houston and Sam Williams as possible lineup replacements for Parsons. Last season, the three combined for nine sacks. Houston collected all of those.

(Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images)

Two First-Rounders, Not Four, Jerry

There is, of course, the two first-round picks that Jones and the Cowboys will get in 2026 and 2027. Those are valuable. But somehow the car salesman decided he needed to double-talk about those picks, turning two into four by combining the trade with the picks the Cowboys already had when Parsons was still on the team.

"Not only does it give us four first-round picks over the next two years, we not only do that, nothing says we can't use those picks right now to go get somebody right now," Jones said. "Don't rule that out."

So maybe you're almost sold. Who needs a Rolls-Royce when you can love an F-150?

But just before he closed the sale, Jones nearly blew it because the Packers and Cowboys play on Sept. 28, and in an instant, the salesman let us know exactly how he feels.

"Micah will be problematic," Jones said. "Very problematic. I suggest we get ahead and run the ball."