Micah Parsons trade live coverage: Lineman to speak to media after Packers coach Matt LaFleur, GM Brian Gutekunst – The New York Times

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Micah Parsons
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Updated 1m ago
The Dallas Cowboys traded star edge rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers. Parsons, 26, is entering his fifth season in the NFL after being drafted by Dallas with the No. 12 pick in 2021.
Parsons will sign a four-year, $188 million extension with Green Bay that includes $136 million guaranteed.
Follow this live experience for all things from The Athletic surrounding this blockbuster deal.
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Cowboys trade Micah Parsons to Green Bay in blockbuster; star signs record deal
We're still waiting for Micah Parsons to speak to reporters in Green Bay. Don't go anywhere!
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Parsons is expected to speak in about 10 minutes after he finishes up with team doctors and signs his contract.
That's all from Packers head coach Matt LaFleur. Up last, but certainly not least, is the man himself. Micah Parsons will be speaking to the media in Green Bay shortly.
Matt LaFleur: "It's extremely exciting to get one of the premier players in the league on your team. Just having gone against him a couple of times, watching him compete, just the havoc he wreaks, it's a nightmare going into a game like that, you're just seeing these highlight reel plays that happen pretty consistently."
Matt LaFleur says his first exposure to Micah Parsons was coaching the 2021 season's Pro Bowl. LaFleur said it’s well known that guys loaf at the Pro Bowl. “Except for one guy. He was trying to wreck shop out there.”
Matt LaFleur: “(Parsons has) made a lot of people look really bad and he wins so fast.”
He adds that teams probably won't double-team Rashan Gary anymore: “Now you gotta pick.”
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Matt LaFleur: "You can never have enough edge rushers in this league. That's a premium position.
"(Parsons) can wreck a game in a hurry."
LaFleur mentions that he watched tape of a previous Packers-Cowboys game earlier today, and that Parsons "made us look silly up front on a couple of plays."
Matt LaFleur on whether Micah Parsons allows Green Bay's defense to return to rushing just the front four more often: "I'd say so, yes. It just gives us a lot of flexibility with what we want to do."
When asked what his involvement was in the trade talks, Matt LaFleur jokingly refers to himself as just a "cheerleader on the sidelines." He's goes on to explain that GM Brian Gutekunst kept him appraised of the trade talks.
Matt LaFleur on Micah Parsons' versatility: "There's not much he can't do. It's just how do you get him acclimated to what we're doing. Then, you can let the creativity to come out. I have a lot of confidence in our defensive staff that we'll be able to put him in positions to maximize his ability. I just know from having to game plan against him, that's something that keeps you up at night, having to go against a player of his caliber."
Matt LaFleur: "What a rare, rare, rare opportunity to get a guy of his caliber.
"Now I will say for me, it's extremely bittersweet. Kenny Clark, since the day I was hired here, he was the last guy on the roster and I'm really thankful for our time together because he is a pro's pro. Obviously a great player, an ever better person."
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That's all from Packers GM Brian Gutekunst. Head coach Matt LaFleur will speak to reporters next, followed by Micah Parsons himself.
Brian Gutekunst on whether there's any concern regarding Micah Parsons' back: "He's doing the physical right now but we feel fairly confident that that's not a long-term problem and that it'll work through pretty quickly."
Reporters try to draw Brian Gutekunst out on exactly when the Packers reached out to the Cowboys about acquiring Micah Parsons, whether it was around the time of the player's trade request or another time, but the GM refuses answer, simply repeating that he reached out "fairly early."
Brian Gutekunst says they had the framework of what a deal might be way before his press conference on Wednesday.
Brian Gutekunst: "This move was not just for this season, it was for multiple seasons. I felt great about our roster before this happened. I think we have a very good team. … Adding Micah (can help us reach our potential).
"I don't believe in (the concept of a team being) one player away. I do think this player is gonna add to our football team and certainly help us win football games."
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Brian Gutekunst says it was a “really, really tough phone call” talking with Kenny Clark last night.
Brian Gutekunst says he “really likes” Micah Parsons’ cap numbers for the next three years.
"That's gonna give us the flexibility with a lot of really good players we have coming up, that we're still gonna be able to keep those guys."
Brian Gutekunst: "You guys know how we feel about (draft) picks here and how important they are to our football team. So for us to make this move, you can understand how we feel about the player and how he's going to affect our team.
"There was a lot of conversation about whether this was the right thing to do with giving up those picks, but there's just not a lot of opportunities to acquire a player like this."

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