Dak Prescott has broken his silence after The Dallas Cowboys left onlookers shocked by trading linebacker Micah Parsons for two first-round trade picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark from the Green Bay Packers. Soon after the trade was finalized, he also agreed to a four-year, $188 million extension deal with Green Bay, including $136 million guaranteed, making him the new highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, as reported by USA Today.
Dak Prescott reacts
As per ESPN, head coach Brian Schottenheimer addressed the trade with the full team last Friday. Quarterback Dak Prescott has now addressed the situation.
“I can’t say I was completely surprised, but I definitely didn’t think he was going to get traded, I’ll say that. But just the way the negotiations went down, obviously to some extent, I mean, hell, y’all were asking me questions, it seemed like it got personal on their end,” Prescott said after practice on Sunday, as reported by CBS Sports. “So like that’s why I wasn’t surprised.”
“We added a great player. Obviously got some picks for the future. I’m not going to say we’re better. We’ve got to go out there and prove it,” Prescott said. “We had to prove it even if he was on this team, so I’m not going to say that by any means. But I know what adding a guy like Kenny Clark, adding a true leader, a real man that’s going to only elevate this team, who’s been a Pro Bowl player and is excited about being here. I know our focus right now is Philly. I think that’s everybody’s focus in that locker room. I don’t think anybody’s hung up on that [the Parsons trade].
The Cowboys are set to open the regular season as defending champions, as the Philadelphia Eagles host them on September 4. Prescott has insisted that the team’s sole focus at the moment is on the upcoming game against Philly rather than the effects of the trade. He still carries full faith in the Cowboys’ defense line.
“As I’ve said, there’s enough news and enough media about it. I think, as much as anything, it’s good that a solution happened,” he said. “Obviously, Micah got paid. He got paid very well and it was great for him and his family. We’ll see him here in about a month [in Week 4]. So just honestly glad, I can’t say glad, but glad we’ve moved past that and everybody seemed happy because of it. … The locker room has seemed upbeat. The ping-pong games have still been going on, and we’re focused on Philly.”
The Cowboys are scheduled to face the Packers on September 28 at AT&T Stadium.
– With inputs from Stuti Gupta
