The former Carolina Panthers quarterback and sports analyst, Cam Newton, recalled the infamous contract extension drama involving defensive end Micah Parsons and the Dallas Cowboys from last year in a recent conversation.

In 2025, Parsons, after a long and exhausting negotiation process, shifted bases from Dallas to Wisconsin, joining the Green Bay Packers for a record-breaking fee.

The Parsons drama with the Cowboys owner and general manager, Jerry Jones, was a highlight of the season. The 83-year-old was criticized by many for dragging out the extension, his stubbornness to supersede the player's agent, and letting a defensive gold mine like Parsons go.

However, Newton feels Jones was actually the winner in that trade of Parsons to the Packers, despite what the popular media thinks.

In a recent episode of 4th and 1, Newton attempted to paint Jones as a calculated businessman, stating that he was playing chess while the rest of the league played rock, paper, scissors. The analyst pointed out that the Cowboys were much richer with Kenny Clark, an elite kicker, and two first-round picks.

Because during that time… the topic of conversation in all the sports world was, who won in the trade? And I said something. I said, 'We ain't going to be able to determine who really won because initially you will be able to see the production of Micah Parsons sooner than the production of what the Dallas Cowboys got.' … Over these last couple of months, even during the NFL season, what has Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones been doing? They've been making moves.

The Cowboys took advantage of the first-round pick, traded their 20th pick to the Philadelphia Eagles, down to 23rd for some extra picks. The Cowboys picked up UCF Edge Malachi Lawrence (No. 23 overall) with that pick and drafted with the acquired capital from trading down CB Devin Moore, and DL LT Overton (No. 137). Earlier, they had brought home one of the finest and highly valued safety prospects for the league in Caleb Downs with their own pick.

Earlier, Colin Cowherd also shared similar thoughts on the Parsons trade, noting that the Cowboys actually upgraded their defense with that deal.

The Dallas Cowboys are seeing an early return on their 2026 draft strategy in terms of profits, something Jerry Jones would definitely like. The Cowboys first round picks, Caleb Downs and Malachi Lawrence, have quickly emerged as two of the league's most popular rookies.

According to data shared by NFL on Fox, Downs leads all rookies in jersey sales through Fanatics, while Lawrence holds the No. 3 spot. There's quite an enthusiasm in Dallas camp after the management went all-in to better their beleaguered defensive unit before the new season. The Cowboys had traded up to draft Downs at 11th after a deal with the Miami Dolphins.