In a move that sent shockwaves throughout the NFL on Thursday, the Green Bay Packers pulled off quite the stunning heist, engaging in a trade with the Dallas Cowboys to acquire Micah Parsons and then making the four-time Pro Bowl edge rusher the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history by inking him to a four-year extension worth $188 million, including $136 million in guaranteed money.
In return, Green Bay sent America's Team a pair of first-round draft picks, one in 2026 and one in 2027, and also said goodbye to 10th-year veteran defensive tackle Kenny Clark, a move that hit wideout Jayden Reed (and likely many, many others) pretty hard.
While it's always tough moving on from a franchise cornerstone like Clark, Parsons undoubtedly makes the Packers a stronger football team. In just four seasons with the Cowboys, three of which resulted in top-three finishes in the Defensive Player of the Year voting, the Penn State product has racked up 256 total tackles, 63 tackles for loss, and 52.5 sacks. Yeah, he's pretty good.
So, now that the Packers have pulled off this franchise-altering deal, what comes next? Well, when you look at the Green Bay roster, you might notice that things are getting a little crowded on the edge. As such, GM Brian Gutekunst and head coach Matt LaFleur may be looking to unload somebody. And the most likely candidate at this point seems to be Kingsley Enagbare.
Kingsley Enagbare has become much more expendable after the acquisition of Micah Parsons
A fifth-round pick of the Packers in 2022, Enagbare has obviously never been the most elite defender on the Green Bay roster, but he's never been truly terrible either.
Putting performance aside for just a moment, any team would love to have a player with his durability (we're looking at you, Niners, and all your injury issues), as the South Carolina alum is one of just four Packers to play all 51 regular-season games over the past three years.
And in that same three-season stretch, Enagbare is just one of two to record 30-plus tackles, five-plus tackles for loss, six-plus QB hits, and multiple sacks in each campaign, the other being Pro Bowler Rashan Gary.
He's also coming off the best overall season of his young career, setting personal bests in tackles (39), forced fumbles (two), and sacks (4.5), while tying a career high with eight QB hits. So, his value could be at an all-time high at the moment.
And again, it's simply getting crowded on the edge. Parsons and Gary are your obvious starters. Lukas Van Ness seemed primed to crack the starting lineup for the first time after a strong training camp, but he now slides into a backup slot. Honestly, if Van Ness plays well over the first couple of months, don't be surprised if Green Bay goes shopping him as well. But we'll save that for another time.
Brenton Cox Jr. continues to improve after a solid second season in 2024. Fourth-round rookie Barryn Sorrell looked fantastic in the preseason. And fifth-round rookie Collin Oliver is sitting on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, he's likely to get a look from the coaching staff as well upon his return.
Obviously, Enagbare isn't going to get the Packers a first-round pick in any deal. But an early Day 3 pick seems feasible, perhaps a fifth-rounder that could become a fourth-rounder based on performance. That might not seem like much, but with the 25-year-old set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season, Green Bay might be wise to try and get something for him instead of letting him walk out the door for nothing.
Here's a thought. Enagbare is extremely solid against the run, earning a 66.6 PFF grade in that regard this past season. Since Jerry Jones is seemingly all about improving his team's run defense, perhaps the Packers should get back on the horn with the Cowboys. After all, Dallas is down an edge rusher.