Micah Parsons being traded to the Green Bay Packers was a ground-shaking trade. The Dallas Cowboys being willing to move on from him was a massive surprise. And the report that the Carolina Panthers looked into trading for him provided disappointment for the fans that they couldn't get a deal done.

Heading into the 2025 NFL season, the Panthers have a lot of excitement surrounding them. For the first time in a long time, the future looks bright in Carolina.

Adding Parsons would have added a huge amount of buzz for the Panthers. However, the team did not want to pull the trigger on the type of trade it would have taken to land him.

More details have been made available about Carolina's level of interest in Parsons. While the Panthers did look into the idea of trading for him, they were not as aggressive as other teams.

Adam La Rose of Pro Football Rumors has provided a report about Carolina's pursuit of Parsons. There was no interest from the team in giving up star defensive tackle Derrick Brown in the deal.

"The Cowboys targeted a defensive tackle upgrade when evaluating partners for a Parsons trade, meaning would have been involved in any serious discussions had they taken place," La Rose wrote. "The Panthers opted to keep Brown (instead of wideout D.J. Moore in place when trading with the Bears for the No. 1 pick in 2023, so it comes as no surprise Carolina was not as aggressive as other suitors."

When all was said and done, the Cowboys and Jerry Jones got what they were wanting. In order to acquire Parsons, the Packers gave up two first-round picks and star defensive tackle Kenny Clark.

What does all of this mean for the Panthers? Quite simply, they were unwilling to mortgage their future for Parsons. They are close to being a winning football team, but they don't feel that they were just one move away from being a contender.

As much fun as acquiring Parsons would have been, Carolina made the right choice. Giving up two first-round picks is a lot. Throwing in Brown would have been way too much.

Instead, the Panthers are focusing on building the right way. They're focused on adding as much talent as they can and focusing on long-term winning as opposed to trying to contend right now.

Hopefully, this move ends up being the right decision. It's tough to pass on a generational pass rusher, but Carolina cannot afford to make the wrong move at this juncture. Passing on Parsons was a tough but correct decision for the franchise.