The Green Bay Packers sent shockwaves through the NFL when they traded for Micah Parsons, and the move continues to look more genius by the day.
Another blockbuster trade just shook up the AFC, with the New York Jets sending All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts for two first-round picks and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell. It's almost the exact package the Packers sent to Dallas — two firsts and defensive tackle Kenny Clark.
All it proves is that the Packers massively won the Parsons trade and fleeced the Cowboys.
Packers not only set the market for the Sauce Gardner trade, but they won even bigger with Micah Parsons deal
The Jets and Colts can thank the Packers for setting the market. Two firsts and a player has now become the going rate for a premium defensive player.
But the Packers should also thank Jerry Jones.
Gardner is undoubtedly worth two first-rounders. He is a two-time All-Pro and arguably the best cornerback in the NFL. The Colts, if they weren't already, have become legitimate Super Bowl contenders in the AFC.
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Parsons, though, is a true game-wrecker. Packers fans have already seen the seismic impact he makes on the entire defense, not just for the sacks and pressures he generates, but also how he helps those around him. Green Bay's trade with Dallas already looked like a one-sided deal, but this Gardner blockbuster confirms it 100 times over.
(I do not think two firsts is that big of an overpay for Sauce Gardner)
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) November 4, 2025
(I think two firsts was an insane underpay for Micah Parsons)
Jerry Jones basically gave Parsons away. He didn't ask for a premium pass-rusher like Rashan Gary, or even a player with long-term upside like Lukas Van Ness. Instead, the Cowboys pushed for Kenny Clark — a former Pro Bowler, yes, but coming off his worst season and soon turning 30.
The Gardner deal is a blockbuster. You can make a case for either side. New York is in rebuild mode and lands two premium picks and a young receiver with upside. Indianapolis gets a superstar piece to go all-in with.
But the Parsons deal? There's no debating that. It was clear the Packers had fleeced the Cowboys from Day 1, and the Gardner trade just makes it even more undeniable.