Parsons?

[NewsBruin]

Over my few decades as a Packer fan, i remember us spending a lot of early draft picks trying to get a DL freak, but being far enough back in line that other teams got dibs on DL/OL freaks. With so many guys washing out (for us and league-wide) I like getting a proven talent, rather than someone with a B+ grade who could turn out to be anything from B+ -D-.

[Fritz]

Over my few decades as a Packer fan, i remember us spending a lot of early draft picks trying to get a DL freak, but being far enough back in line that other teams got dibs on DL/OL freaks. With so many guys washing out (for us and league-wide) I like getting a proven talent, rather than someone with a B+ grade who could turn out to be anything from B+ -D-.

This is a fair point. From Jamaal Reynolds to Justin Harrell to Nick Perry to Datone Jones to Rashan Gary to Devonte Wyatt to Lukas Van Ness, the Packers have tried and tried to get that pass rushing freak, and they've struck out most of the time (Gary is good, for sure, but is he a "freak"? Only his girlfriend can tell us).

It's a lot to pay for that guy - the two future first-round picks and your starting former Pro Bowl nose tackle - but it might turn out to be worth it. Guess we'll see.

[bobblehead]

The 2 firsts don't bother me, but losing Clark this year and forward kinda do. As I said, the run D will suffer for this move and we already got pushed around enough that we drafted, traded for, and signed 4 guys who were much larger than our "model". Then we turned around and traded a large man for an undersized EDGE.

[Patler]

There are usually some underappreciated, little-known, immobile goliath run-stuffers sitting at home waiting for mid-season calls from GMs. Ex-Packer Mike Pennel was just released after two years with the Chiefs. I'm sure there are others.

[Joemailman]

The 2 firsts don't bother me, but losing Clark this year and forward kinda do. As I said, the run D will suffer for this move and we already got pushed around enough that we drafted, traded for, and signed 4 guys who were much larger than our "model". Then we turned around and traded a large man for an undersized EDGE.

Packers were pushed around so much they had the #3 run defense in YPC in 2024 after being #23 in 2023. I think Hafley is a pretty resourceful guy. He's not Joe Barry.

[run pMc]

Consider me shocked by this news - didn't think it was going to happen.

I guess I never watched Parsons that much or that closely, but he's a talented pass rusher.
Generally I just haven't watched the Cowboys much because it seems like they're often trash. Also, a SNF NYG-DAL matchup is not something I'm likely to watch. Anyway, the "media pukes" seem to think Jerrah got fleeced on this one.

I think 2 R1s and Clark plus a big fat contract (the GB emergency fund or whatever is $500M, Parsons got $120 in guarantees) is a lot. I think Quay Walker isn't getting an extension.

I also think if Parsons can stay healthy it's a reasonable deal. Agree with others that Clark was a pretty good bet to be released next offseason anyway, and APRH those R1 picks are going to be late first rounders. DAL will need to package them to get the newest Manning if that's the goal.

Pairing hiim with Gary and LVN is a nice rotation. Clark was beat up last year and while he's 29 he's got a lot of mileage. Clark is a class act and a good player, he'll be missed. The new DL coach and Hafley are going to have to really shore up the run D. Snackhouse isn't there yet, he's inconsistent at holding the POA. Colby Wooden is your new starting NT, next to Wyatt. If they can hold up against the run this D could be trouble for teams.

Parsons is a dynamic playmaker on D and a top 5 pass rusher (by reputation and stats, it seems) so it's a rare get, and one the team needs.

If anyone says this team isn't going All In they are blind.

[texaspackerbacker]

Digesting Fritz and bobblehead and Cumby's posts and trying to do some capology, I'd conclude that the situation is gonna be fine.

Parsons supposedly gets $62 million the first year when the Packers supposedly had plenty of excess cap space. That leaves $126 for the final three years, probably a little bit backloaded. Combining that hit with the Clark savings, it's not too bad. As was said, losing Sanchez and Rhyan is no big deal. Beyond that, it's still keep quality, let lower quality go - I'm mainly speaking of Quay Walker. I doubt we lose either Doubs or Watson unless either poor play or poor health makes it obvious to let them go.

I was one of those people who thought Jamal Reynolds would be the next Lawrence Taylor. Parsons may well be that freak and more. (as I said, he damn well better not get hurt - that would fuck up everything). Parsons is way better than Clay Matthews at his best, and that's not a knock of Matthews. He's not only that "bend the edge" type like Matthews. He can (and has been) placed all over. That plus the attention he gets should make for great years for everybody else, especially Gary - who has been the one to get the most attention. Just imagine a pass rush with Parsons and Cooper in the same area with Gary and/or LVN, Enagbare, Sorrell, etc. coming in from somewhere else.

As for run D, I really don't think teams are gonna run it down our throat with a rotation of Stackhouse, Brinson, Wooden, and Wade in two spots in the middle and Quay and Cooper at ILB, especially when they are pretty much forced to run because the pass rush is so good.

[George Cumby]

There are usually some underappreciated, little-known, immobile goliath run-stuffers sitting at home waiting for mid-season calls from GMs. Ex-Packer Mike Pennel was just released after two years with the Chiefs. I'm sure there are others.

What's John Jurkovic up to these days?

[bobblehead]

Packers were pushed around so much they had the #3 run defense in YPC in 2024 after being #23 in 2023. I think Hafley is a pretty resourceful guy. He's not Joe Barry.

We were much better, but if you watch late in the 4 games we played the 2 teams I mention we got pushed around. But I agree that we were pretty solid most of the year and my gripe isn't with last season, it is more like this.

We got a new DC, got better vs. the run and had our best defense in years. Things were looking pretty good. We even played the pass pretty well and schemed pressure in select situations despite Jaire not playing. We did get pushed around by the elite teams and took a lesson from it by adding FOUR OL who were bigger than we historically have been so we could duplicate the bully ball. I wish we had kept Slaton or slayton or whichever one TJ was, but we added Brinson and Stackhouse.

We WERE NOT one player away (maybe we would have won it without Parsons, maybe we won't with him). I would have been fine giving up 2 premium assets (2 firsts, 1 first and Gary etc.). Not so sure about giving up 3. Plus we created a weakness by adding a mega star to a position group that actually wasn't that bad. Van Ness showed a lot of improvement and our depth was solid. We didn't NEED Parsons anymore than you always need a mega star. He has been known to get washed out in the run game. He also sometimes destroys the OL in the run game and makes splash plays. But creating a weakness in the interior was a mistake. The bucks wanted a mega super scorer so they traded a defensive stud for Lillard. The defense went to shit. So I don't like the trade from the standpoint that we created a weakness and gave up a lot of assets. I would have actually liked it more if it had been Gary because at least that would have simply been a huge upgrade to a position. I could go on, but I think I made my point. Sometimes its hard to see the ripple effect, and I think the ripple effect in run D will be noticeable.....I'll bet we aren't 3rd in the league in YPC this year. We better not fall behind a lot though or we're gonna have a problem.

And to stress the point AGAIN, this team seems to not know what direction its heading. Big EDGE or small EDGE. Because they were adamant in not drafting Brian Burns, but now we gave the future for the more talented version of him.

[Patler]

Cowboy-lover Skip Bayliss said "Good riddance" to Parsons. Said he is a "losing player" that the league has figured out so that he impacts only the pass rush. And this:

"He's a liability against the run," he said. "He can't play the run, he's too light in the britches, he's just a pure speed rusher with no power. ... He wears down quickly. Down the stretches ... he just fades. ... He's just not physical enough."

[MadScientist]

Wonder what he would have said if the Cowboys resigned him? Probably that it was a great signing and Parsons is a real difference maker on the defense. The Packers have enough people to keep him fresh and use him primarily on passing downs, especially at the start of the year.

[Joemailman]

And to stress the point AGAIN, this team seems to not know what direction its heading. Big EDGE or small EDGE. Because they were adamant in not drafting Brian Burns, but now we gave the future for the more talented version of him.

You seem to equate being willing to try something new with " to not know what direction its heading". This is a very different defense than what they had when they passed on Brian Banks. Heck, it's a different defense than what they had when they drafted Van Ness. Maybe they now see more value in a speed rusher than they did in the past. Haven't been to a Super Bowl in 15 years. Is a new approach such a bad thing?

[texaspackerbacker]

Cowboy-lover Skip Bayliss said "Good riddance" to Parsons. Said he is a "losing player" that the league has figured out so that he impacts only the pass rush. And this:

Good point, MS. I too wonder what he woulda said if the Cowboys had kept him.

Some of what he says about Parson rings true, but the Cowboys sorta overworked Parsons, and they had a lot less talent in their front seven to play with him.

[MadtownPacker]

Cowboy-lover Skip Bayliss said "Good riddance" to Parsons. Said he is a "losing player" that the league has figured out so that he impacts only the pass rush. And this:

Imagine what he will say about Dak.

[Joemailman]

Parsons played 80% of snaps in 2023. He played 63% in 2024 despite missing 4 games. No Packer edge rusher played more than Gary's 59% in 2024.