Jerry Jones recently made headlines by sending Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for first-round draft picks, and could that be a decision that threatens Dak Prescott‘s own place within the team?
The move immediately strengthened the Cowboys‘ draft capital, but analysts now suggest it may also be part of a long-term plan to position the team for a future quarterback acquisition
Jones‘ trade of Parsons is seen as a strategic maneuver with Arch Manning’s potential in mind as the Texas Longhorns‘ starter becomes regarded as the next big quarterback to enter the sport.
Analyst RJ Choppy outlined this theory on 105.3 The Fan, suggesting that the move gives the Cowboys flexibility to pursue the 21-year-old in upcoming drafts – especially is Prescott falls short in the postseason once again.
“If you were able to go down and play this year out, and you see how it goes,” RJ Choppy said on 105.3 The Fan. “You get the next year, if you see this is not gonna work you take one of those Green Bay picks and you trade down and you get another.
“Or you take one of your own picks and you trade down and you get another first and then the next year, you take those first and you move up and get Arch Manning and that is where Jerry‘s legacy now sits.”
The trade positions the Cowboys to either move up in the 2026 or 2027 draft to pursue Manning, or trade down to accumulate additional first-round selections for roster depth.
Meanwhile, Jones has justified the Parsons trade in part by highlighting the acquisition of defensive lineman Kenny Clark and the potential of the draft picks by suggesting they could see the team sign Pro Bowl-standard players.
Choppy interprets the maneuver as a calculated attempt to evaluate Manning while minimizing risk as by allowing the Texas quarterback to play out the current college season, the Cowboys can assess his development before committing draft capital.
Additionally, the former Cowboys wide receiver, Dez Bryant, has also weighed in, suggesting that Jones‘ strategy is centered on Manning as he plans for the future at the AT&T Stadium.
“Arch Manning will have a star on his helmet,” Bryant noted on X.com, formerly Twitter, referencing the trade picks as evidence that Dallas is preparing for a potential quarterback acquisition.
Who do the Cowboys play in Week 1 of the 2025/26 NFL season?
The Dallas Cowboys will begin their 2025 NFL campaign on Thursday, September 4, when they face the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, in the NFL Kickoff Game.
Kickoff is scheduled for 8:20 p.m. ET (5:20 p.m. PT), with national coverage on NBC and The Eagles enter the matchup following a strong 2024 season, during which they averaged 28.4 points and 367.1 total yards per game.
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