The Dallas Cowboys shocked the NFL world just before the 2025 season by trading star edge rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers after failing to reach a long-term deal. It was a stunning move at the time, and now, it’s fair to wonder if Dallas regrets it.
Without Parsons, the Cowboys’ pass rush has struggled, and their defense has plummeted toward the bottom of the league’s rankings. Dallas remains on the fringe of the playoff picture, but with the trade deadline fast approaching, the team could be eyeing a major defensive addition to salvage its postseason hopes.
Cowboys Predicted To Acquire Jets’ $13.08M Pass Rusher
The Cowboys’ defense is currently ranked second-last in PFSN’s Defensive Impact metric, and no player on the roster has reached four sacks this season. With Dallas clinging to fringe playoff hopes, reports suggest the front office is exploring pass-rush help ahead of the trade deadline. PFSN’s Jacob Infante believes one intriguing target could be the Jets’ young pass rusher, Jermaine Johnson II.
“The Dallas Cowboys have the second-lowest Defense Impact (DEFi) grade in the NFL, but they’re still in the mix for a playoff opportunity at 3-4-1,” Infante wrote. “Assuming they operate as buyers at this year’s NFL trade deadline, their top priority should be improving their struggling pass rush.
“A Pro Bowler as a rookie in 2022, Jermaine Johnson II now finds himself on the outside looking in on the Jets’ long-term plans. Rather than pay him a long-term contract, New York could look to offload him to an edge rusher-needy team that isn’t willing to quite pay top dollar for one of the league’s elite at the position. That description fits the Cowboys perfectly.”
While Johnson hasn’t produced eye-popping numbers this season, recording just one sack in five appearances, he has flashed high-end potential in the past. His best season came in 2023 when he earned a Pro Bowl bid after collecting 55 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, and one interception. In total, the defender has 11 sacks in 38 career games.
The Cowboys, meanwhile, only have 15 sacks as a team so far. James Houston leads the team with 3.5, and he’s the only player on the team with two or more on the season. Dante Fowler Jr. and Jadeveon Clowney were brought in this offseason to help, but the two veterans have combined for just two sacks.
With their offense performing at an elite level, the Cowboys must bolster the pass rush to remain firmly in the playoff hunt, and Johnson fits the need perfectly.
The Jets are reportedly seeking a second-round pick or better for Johnson, a price Dallas has the draft assets to match. On the financial side, he’s still playing on his rookie four-year, $13,087,443 contract, meaning his cap hit would be manageable for a team looking to make an immediate upgrade without long-term complications.