Blogging The Boys
The Dallas Cowboys can never make enough big moves. At least that is the sentiment shared by many who are always thirsting for the front office to do a little more. Even with extensive roster remodeling already on their resume recently, it’s never enough. Other teams keep doing stuff, why can’t the Cowboys keep doing stuff?
But let us take a collective breath and think about things for a moment. We are not even a year removed from one of the biggest roster shakeups in the history of this storied franchise. We are talking about the elephant in the room, or more appropriately, the lion who has left the room, Micah Parsons. Fans have their own opinions on whether that was the right decision, but there’s one part that is blatantly apparent, and that is that Parsons is arguably the most insanely talented player the Cowboys have ever shipped away in the history of the organization. Ever.
Now, some of you Cowboys’ historians in the back are already screaming about the legendary Herschel Walker deal. Yes, the draft haul for Walker was absolute highway robbery. But if we are talking about pure, unadulterated football talent on the day of the deal, it is almost impossible to top Parsons. He was just 26 years old with a ridiculous résumé laced with All-Pro honors. He did not slow down one bit when he packed his bags for Green Bay either, that is, until an unfortunate injury ended his season prematurely.
The reality is that Parsons is still a dominator, while other legends fizzled out fast after leaving the Big D. Take the Walker trade as an example. Walker was not much older than Parsons when Dallas moved him, but his tires were already dangerously bald. He spent three grueling years in the USFL running for the New Jersey Generals before he ever even wore the star. Between Georgia and the USFL, Walker had racked up more career carries than Ezekiel Elliott did during his entire run in Dallas. He didn’t have a whole lot left in the tank and earned exactly zero Pro Bowls after leaving town.
Looking through more trades throughout Cowboys history, you will see the exact same movie play out. Tony Dorsett got shipped to Denver to clear out a crowded backfield for Walker, but he did absolutely nothing for the Broncos. He played just one sad season and barely scratched seven hundred yards. Of course, he was 34 years old at the time and only brought back a conditional fifth-round pick, so that barely even registers as a real trade.
If you go back further, you have the classic crowded quarterback room scenario. Dallas flipped Craig Morton to the New York Giants for a first- and a second-round pick. That top pick eventually turned into future Hall of Fame legend Randy White. Morton was completely expendable because the Cowboys already had Captain America himself, Roger Staubach. Morton was a solid quarterback, but he never made a single Pro...
