Jerry Jones Lays Out Surprising Potential Plan for Draft Picks in Micah Parsons Deal

Jerry Jones put an end to the Cowboys' saga with superstar pass rusher Micah Parsons Thursday when he dealt him to the Packers for three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two first-round picks.

NFL fans and personalities couldn't believe the trade, and were particularly perplexed at Jones's agreed upon return for Parsons after the two parties were at odds over a new contract. Jones, at least publicly, is at peace with the package he got for the star rusher. The Cowboys' owner and general manager spoke to reporters Thursday evening after the deal broke, going on and on to explain how the team came to this conclusion. In a lengthy initial explanation, he noted how high he is on the draft capital Dallas received.

"Not only do we immediately get a player," Jones said as he addressed reporters after the Parsons trade Thursday. "But those draft picks could get us, I'm talking top Pro Bowl type players. Could. ... You won't necessarily get those players, you got to draft them or acquire them. But they could get us as few as three or as many as five outstanding players."

In case you read that as the Cowboys potentially using their first-round picks to trade for another player, Jones addressed the possibility directly.

"We not only have four first-round picks over the next two years," he said. "We not only do that. Nothing says we can't use some of those picks right now to go get somebody right now. Don't rule that out."

The Cowboys certainly could use their draft capital to make another trade, but the question is whether that's a realistic possibility. The picks Dallas received from Green Bay likely won't be toward the top of the first round, especially when you consider the fact that the Packers got unequivocally better with the addition of Parsons. An example of a trade where multiple first-round picks were used to acquire a veteran is when the Raiders sent Khalil Mack to the Bears seven years ago for two first-round picks and two additional later-round picks.

The thing is, the Mack trade isn't all that common and Thursday's Parsons deal may just be its best comparison. Is there really another big fish the Cowboys can go out and get? And is the player Jones is alluding to potentially similar to Parsons? It's unlikely a win-now player will be available, but the Cowboys' outspoken owner isn't giving up the faith.