The Green Bay Packers have pulled off one of the most dramatic moves in recent NFL memory, trading for edge rusher Micah Parsons in a blockbuster deal with the Dallas Cowboys.
What stunned fans and analysts alike wasn’t just the trade itself, it was the massive contract attached to it. Parsons inked a four-year, $188 million extension that averages a jaw-dropping $47 million per season, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in league history.
That contract puts him ahead of other defensive superstars like T.J. Watt and Myles Garrett, and even eclipses the $45 million per year deal of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Parsons’ credentials are undeniably elite: a three-time All-Pro, former Defensive Rookie of the Year, and one of the most dominant pass-rushers in the NFL.
From a talent standpoint, the acquisition makes the Packers better today. But when you zoom out, it becomes clear this deal carries heavy long-term risk.
The issue isn’t whether Parsons deserves the money, it’s whether this kind of spending wins Super Bowls.
Building a Super Bowl roster around two mega-contracts
NFL history hasn’t been kind to teams with huge financial commitments to non-quarterbacks. None of the 10 highest-paid non-QBs, each making at least $33 million annually, has ever won a Super Bowl. Only two (Ja’Marr Chase and Nick Bosa) have even appeared in one. And now, Green Bay finds itself not only in that company, but doubling down.
With quarterback Jordan Love set to make $55 million per year under his own extension, the Packers are committing over $100 million annually to just two players.
It’s the first time in NFL history that a quarterback-non-quarterback duo has crossed that threshold. And while Love is a promising young passer, his deal includes a cap hit north of $74 million in 2028, creating major future challenges unless restructured.
The salary cap is projected to rise, but even growth may not be enough to balance out the Packers’ top-heavy roster construction. Compounding that issue, the team gave up two first-round picks and defensive lineman Kenny Clark to land Parsons.
Losing that draft capital limits Green Bay’s ability to add young, inexpensive talent – typically the foundation of Super Bowl contenders.
Only one team in the last 40 years has traded two first-rounders for a non-QB and gone on to win a title: the 2021 Rams after acquiring Jalen Ramsey. It’s a rare outcome.
Still, Green Bay is a legitimate 2025 Super Bowl threat. Their core remains intact, and Parsons gives them a game-changer on defense. But as recent history shows, betting big on stars and sacrificing depth is a gamble, one that rarely ends in confetti.
Now, the Packers must hope their bold move bucks the trend.
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