Cowboys’ Micah Parsons Has Dire Warning for Offense: ‘It’s Pretty Much Over’

Getty Cowboys star Micah Parsons

Let’s take the glass-half-full angle here: In recent days of Cowboys training camp, reports are that edge rusher/linebacker Micah Parsons has looked dominant. That is very good news for a team that will need Parsons to pull together a defense that has a new coordinator (Mike Zimmer), looked soft in the playoffs and lost a handful of key veteran pieces in the offseason.

Parsons’ playmaking ability should be enough to keep the Cowboys afloat defensively in the early going, as Zimmer gets used to his personnel, and vice-versa. Already, Zimmer has said he wants to move Parsons around quite a bit, making it more difficult for opponents to center their blocking schemes on him.

As camp has gone on, Parsons has gotten better. And he’s not afraid to let the Cowboys offense know about it.

“Yeah, it’s pretty much over and I’m in rhythm now,” Parsons told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “The first few days. I haven’t played in seven, eight months. I mean, I know my angles and I feel like I’m in week four right now. I’m in rhythm. There’s nothing they can do. They might as well start chipping, sliding, or it’s gonna be a long day here.”

“If they don’t chip, there will be a five, six sack day every day. It’s pretty much over. I’m gonna tell you that right now. This is this is what it’s gonna keep looking.”

Micah Parsons Has Put Aside Contract Issue

Parsons has been one of the (many) focal points of training camp, in part because while Dak Prescott has been participating despite not having a contract extension and CeeDee Lamb has been holding out for a new deal, Parsons is also eligible for a new contract.

Parsons is only in his fourth season, though, and the Cowboys have already picked up his $21 million fifth-year option. There is still ample time for he and the team to work out a contract, though he could find himself in a holdout at this time next year.

But he has not let that weigh on him. He said he expects to be the highest-paid non-quarterback when the time comes, but that it might be advantageous for him to wait to agree on a new deal, because the salary cap has been going up in significant leaps.

“I’m patient. Patient is a virtue,” Parsons said, also the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “I’m waiting my turn. Let CeeDee go get whatever. Let Dak get whatever.”

Cowboys Running Out Rebuilt Offensive Line

So the important part is that Parsons is fully engaged in camp and looking like he will take to Zimmer’s style of defense. The Cowboys were a good defense last year, allowing 299.7 yards per game (fourth in the NFL), but they were just 13^th with 46 sacks. Parsons was seventh in sacks, with 14.0.

Of course, on the flip side, there must be some concern for the Cowboys over the state of the offensive line. The team lost veteran Tyron Smith in free agency last year, and he could be replaced by rookie Tyler Guyton or veteran journeyman Chuma Edoga. Perhaps they are making it too easy for Parsons to dominate.

But Parsons said he is hitting his stride.

“I am in shape,” Parsons said. “The first day. I was [expletive] dog tired. But now my body’s adjusted to it. I was a little sore. That’s why I’m running in between practices. That’s for me.”