At first glance, Dallas Cowboys pass-rusher Micah Parsons handing in a trade request might give Green Bay Packers fans a good laugh. Others may dream of the Packers making a deal for the three-time All-Pro.
The reality could become far, far worse.
While the Packers could skyrocket their Super Bowl chances by trading for a game-changing pass-rusher, the likelihood is low. Especially considering what it would cost to trade for Parsons. But there's another team in the NFC North that makes more sense.
Lions trading for Micah Parsons would be Packers' worst nightmare
The Detroit Lions desperately need to find a pass-rusher to pair with All-Pro Aidan Hutchinson.
They surprisingly haven't brought back former Packers edge-rusher Za'Darius Smith, which seemed inevitable at one point, as they seemingly pin their hopes on Marcus Davenport providing consistent play on the opposite side of the line.
Parsons officially wants out of Dallas, presenting a potential opportunity for Detroit and a nightmare in Green Bay.
Pairing Parsons with Hutchinson would be a real-life NFL cheat code.
We're talking about arguably the league's top two pass-rushers. Pro Football Focus credited Hutchinson with 45 pressures and eight sacks despite only playing five games last season. Parsons generated 70 pressures and 14 sacks in 13 contests. When it comes to PFF's pass-rush grade, they ranked first and fourth, respectively.
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In other words, it would be game over for the Packers. And every other team.
The good news? Detroit still has to pay Hutchinson, who is due a massive long-term deal in the near future. Handing top-of-the-market money to two superstar pass-rushers is not an easy task. The Cowboys would also need to actually entertain trade offers for their All-Pro, something they have yet to do. Even in that scenario, they may prefer to find an AFC team, not a direct conference rival.
That said, Jerry Jones doesn't always make the most logical trades (see: fourth-round pick for Jonathan Mingo), and the Cowboys are predictably unpredictable in the worst way imaginable. If the Lions sense an opportunity to cash in on their Super Bowl window, anything is possible.
Hopefully, Parsons-to-Detroit remains just a nightmare, and not a terrifying NFC North reality.