Discussion: Should the Lions have went all-in for a pass rusher?

Everywhere you turn, everywhere you go, it’s Micah Parsons. It’s Micah Parsons and the great case of “Why hasn’t Brad Holmes done something to improve the Detroit Lions pass rush?!”

Today’s Question of the Day is:

Should the Lions have went all-in for a pass rusher?

My answer: Everyone’s going to define “all-in” differently, so let’s tackle that first and foremost. Today’s discussion is obviously borne out of the Green Bay Packers acquiring Micah Parsons, a move that could definitely be characterized as going “all-in.” So, there’s our baseline: two first-round draft picks and Kenny Clark. Erik Schlitt outlined the pros and cons of the move on Thursday after the news dropped, but since news of the deal broke, the takeaways have been plentiful:

• Are the Packers the new favorites, not just in the NFC North, but the conference at large?
• How could the Dallas Cowboys accept such a pitiful return for a player of Parsons’ ability?
• Should the Lions have made a move for Myles Garrett, Maxx Crosby, T.J. Watt, or even Micah Parsons? Has their Super Bowl window closed?

Before trying to critique the Lions’ inaction by the Packers’ move to acquire Micah Parsons, a couple of things. Parsons is one of the best defensive players in football, full stop. In his four years, Parsons has made four Pro Bowls, won Defensive Player of the Year (and Defensive Rookie of the Year) in 2021, been a two-time All-Pro, and has 52.5 sacks. He dramatically improves the Packers’ defense; a rising tide lifts all boats, and a pass rusher the caliber of Parsons improves players around him, especially on the backend. If there was a player worth going “all-in” for, it would be a 26-year-old pass rusher with the résumé and promise of Parsons.

Green Bay paid two first-round draft picks and veteran defensive tackle Kenny Clark to acquire Parsons, which was mostly touted as a paltry price for a player of his stature. It isn’t as insignificant as many are making it out to be. Clark isn’t the run defender many once considered to be among the best in the NFL, but he’s still a plus-player at this stage of his career. Since 2021, no one along Green Bay’s defensive line has played more snaps in run defense. He’s had the most pressures among interior defenders in Green Bay for the last seven seasons, and he’s just now entering his age-30 season. There isn’t a team in the league who wouldn’t roster Clark and welcome his contributions.

The contract Parsons signed with the Packers is massive, and combined with Jordan Love, the two are the first pair of teammates to be paid $100+ million AAV in a single season. In 2027, they’ll account for nearly 23% of the team’s cap. It’s a huge investment financially, especially when you consider the draft picks and the cost-controlled talent the Packers had to include. [ESPN’s Bill Barnwell put together a rough estimate of the total incurred cost...