The Green Bay Packers sent shockwaves through the NFL last week with their blockbuster trade to acquire Micah Parsons, a massive upgrade to their pass rush and bringing a superstar to the franchise.
After Parsons had a public spat with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones over a contract extension, the Cowboys moved on from the All-Pro defender in exchange for two first round picks and veteran defensive tackle Kenny Clark. While Parsons’ arrival in Green Bay is a massive one, there’s also the other side for how the Dallas Cowboys will move forward without him.
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On Tuesday, Hall of Famer and Chicago Bears legend Devin Hester appeared as a guest on the “Up & Adams Show” with Kay Adams and was asked about how he would feel about the trade if he was in the Cowboys’ locker room. In not only losing their defensive superstar but a team leader, Hester says the move should be viewed as hurtful by players on Dallas.
“Micah Parsons is a guy that we can all say is a face of the defense,” Hester said. “He not only affects the defensive side but he also affects the captains on this team, he’s probably the most vocal leader on the team. When you’re trying to go towards the playoffs, guys like CeeDee (Lamb) and Dak (Prescott), those guys are really upset. Every year you go into the season believing it’s your year but now you’re losing your number one player, the face of the franchise, this late in the offseason while we all thought a deal was going to get done, then he gets traded, it’s hurtful.”
The hurtful impact trading Parsons could have on the locker room is one that Hester said should have the players on the roster not even think about this upcoming season, as management has made it clear that a rebuild is underway.
“For me as a player, when a situation like that happens, my mentality is one that of okay, we’re rebuilding so this season doesn’t even count,” Hester said. “That’s the way I feel, we’re trading our number one player on the team, the captain of our team, this is a waste of a season. We might as well not even play this season because the GM is telling us we’re rebuilding, and it feels like a wasted season. That’s how I would feel if I was on the team.”
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears legend Devin Hester reacts to Micah Parsons trade to Packers