Reggie White vs. Micah Parsons: The tale of the tape on two major acquisitions

The acquisition of Micah Parsons immediately evoked memories of what happened to the Green Bay Packers in 1993, when they shockingly signed Reggie White and kicked off a decades-long run of success.

Green Bay today isn't in the same desperate position, but here's a comparison of the two monster roster moves:

How did the Packers acquire Reggie White and Micah Parsons?

• Reggie White signed as a free agent in April 1993.
• Micah Parsons was acquired in a trade for defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two first-round picks in August 2025.

How much money did the Packers commit to Reggie White and Micah Parsons?

• Reggie White signed for four years, $17 million. That's roughly $38 million today when accounting for inflation.
• Micah Parsons, after the trade, signed an extension worth four years, $188 million.

How old were Reggie White and Micah Parsons when they were signed?

• Reggie White was 31 years old.
• Micah Parsons is 26 years old.

What stats and accomplishments did Reggie White and Micah Parsons have?

• Reggie White had been named first-team All-Pro six times and second-team once. He had won Defensive Player of the Year in 1987. He made seven Pro Bowls in eight seasons. White had 198 career sacks at that point and had no fewer than 11 per year in any of his eight seasons.
• Micah Parsons has been named first-team All-Pro twice and second-team once. He won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2021 but has not won Defensive Player of the Year. He has made Pro Bowls in all four seasons. Parsons has 52½ career sacks and has no fewer than 12 in any of his four seasons.

How had the Packers done before adding Reggie White and Micah Parsons?

• The 1993 Packers were coming off a run of 10 straight years — and 19 of 20 — without making the playoffs. With White on the team, they immediately went to the playoffs six straight years, winning the Super Bowl after the 1996 season.
• The 2025 Packers have been to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons and five of six, but they haven't been to a Super Bowl since winning after the 2010 season.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Comparing Micah Parsons acquisition to Reggie White