The Dallas Cowboys’ defense undeniably improved at the 2025 NFL trade deadline when they acquired defensive tackle Quinnen Williams from the New York Jets. The move has still been widely criticized by several analysts, including Dianna Russini and Ryen Russillo, in relation to the team’s previous Micah Parsons deal.
The Cowboys traded Parsons to the Green Bay Packers in the offseason in a move almost everyone felt the team mishandled. Jerry Jones still believed the deal benefited his team more than re-signing the two-time All-Pro would have, but Russillo feels that re-packaging the picks Dallas received for Parsons to acquire Williams was a step in the opposite direction.
“There’s no argument to understand the Parsons transaction in relation to Quinnen,” Russillo said. “Especially when you consider the Jets control the better of the 27 first-rounders. So considering how massive that might be between where the Packers, which we would expect to still be good, the gap between who the Packers would be and then who the Cowboys would be — that’s the kind of movement that can cost you a first-rounder in and of itself.
“Sure, Quinnen is less than Micah costs, but to brag about the Micah haul and then to flip it for Quinnen later on, use some of that money that you could’ve used on Micah, and then have the 27th pick, the better one, in the Jets’ control, this is f****** stupid.”
Shipping off Micah Parsons and then trading for Quinnen Williams makes no sense for Dallas pic.twitter.com/0JusMuRfjQ
— The Ryen Russillo Show (@TheRyenRussillo) November 5, 2025
Dianna Russini reacts to Cowboys’ Quinnen Williams trade
Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Russini could not agree with Russillo more. The insider initially attempted to play devil’s advocate in the Cowboys’ defense, but could not see the pair of trades as a win for Dallas’ long-term plans.
“They don’t think it is, though, right?” Russini said. “They’re gonna try to make and prove that this was the right move. But you break it down the way you just did, and most people I was talking to look at it exactly the same, this is not a win in terms of if you want to compare it.”
By sending the same two picks they received from the Packers to the Jets, the Cowboys essentially traded Parsons for Williams and Kenny Clark. Williams and Clark are both older than Parsons and owed over $60 million total over the next two seasons.
The Cowboys went all-in at the 2025 trade deadline despite their 3-5-1 record. Before acquiring Williams, they also added Logan Wilson from the Cincinnati Bengals.
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