Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons is playing with the Vikings defense in Madden. Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer formerly was head coach of the Vikings.
Many, including Parsons, have wondered how Zimmer plans to use one of the NFL’s most versatile defenders.
After a slow start to camp, Parsons wrecked the Cowboys offense in Monday’s practice as backup left tackle Chuma Edoga couldn’t slow Parsons.
Parsons told Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that the Cowboys offense won’t get much done the rest of camp.
“Yeah, it’s pretty much over, and I’m in rhythm now,” Parsons told Hill. “The first few days — I haven’t played in seven, eight months. I mean, I know my angles. 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 what it’s gonna keep looking like.”
Parsons, who is playing at 240 pounds, down 10 from last season, said he is in shape now after two weeks in camp.
“The first day I was dog tired,” Parsons said, “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.”
Market-level contracts present plenty of potential issues, well beyond market value. For the Cowboys and quarterback Dak Prescott, his next deal (if there is one) will be the product of push and pull as to many different factors.
For example, one sticking point in the Dak deal (we’re told) relates to the team’s escape hatch. How many years will they be tied to Prescott, in the event he regresses or they otherwise decide to make a change?
For some quarterbacks (Geno Smith, Derek Carr), it can be as short as one year. The two quarterbacks who signed long-term deals eight days ago (Joran Love and Tua Tagovailoa) have firm three-year commitments.
Whle the number the Cowboys want isn’t clear, they could be looking for a two- or three-year exit opportunity. Dak, whose current four-year deal created a very real four-year commitment, wants security if he’s going to stay.
Whether he’ll stay remains to be seen. The Cowboys could be betting the under on Dak having the kind of contract year that would drive his price even higher. With the top of the market currently at $55 million in new money APY, a solid season could prompt another team to blow the lid off the market. A disappointing year could keep the number in check.
Ultimately, it comes down to: (1) the number of teams that will be looking for veteran quarterbacks in 2025; and (2) what they’ll pay to get Prescott. We know that, after 2024, teams will decide to make changes. Possibilities when the current season ends include the Jets, Steelers, Browns (if they’re willing to eat $92 million for Deshaun Watson), Titans, Raiders, Giants, Saints, Rams, and Seahawks.
While it’s possible that the Cowboys will bite the bullet and do a deal with Dak, it ideally would have happened early enough in the offseason to drive down his cap number and to allow them to do other business. Up to and including truly going “all in” with free agents. The fact that the issue is still lingering shows how delicate and difficult it is.
Dak has had no qualms about rolling the dice in the past. When he did, he won. There’s currently no reason to think he won’t win again, even if he has to change teams.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones testified at the trial of the Sunday Ticket class action. His appearance didn’t help the league avoid a $4.7 billion verdict and a potential $14.1 billion judgment.
The presiding judge on Thursday gave the NFL a pass for the full amount, finding that the jury properly found that Sunday Ticket package violates federal antitrust laws — but that the plaintiffs failed to introduce reliable expert witness testimony regarding the financial harm caused by 12 years of deliberate and concerted overcharging for out-of-market games.
Jones is obviously happy that he won’t have to write a check for $440 million, which would have been his 1/32nd share of the final amount.
“Well, we were pleased that we made our presentation to the judge and are pleased with his ruling,” Jones said Friday, via Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News. “And we’ll go from there. I won’t be saying anything more about it.”
I’m not sure of many things. I’m sure that Jones will inevitably say something more about it.
While things can change on appeal, Jones seized last weekend on the looming liability as a reason for not paying his players. Now that the $14.1 billion has been erased, he should be able to assume the salary cap will keep soaring and the money will keep flowing, right?
Wrong. He’ll find another reason to drag his feet and to lowball his players before ultimately saying matae and writing the check regarding players like receiver CeeDee Lamb (who’s holding out) and linebacker Micah Parsons (who should be). Or, in the case of quarterback Dak Prescott, watching him leave next with as an unrestricted and unfettered free agent.
Dak Prescott said last week he feels an obligation to other quarterbacks and teammates in contract talks. He was asked to expound on that Friday.
“I’m a guy that grew up with two older brothers,” Prescott said, via Todd Archer of ESPN. “You understand what a brotherhood means, not only for just this team but the fraternity of the NFL and the players. The money is out there and the money can happen. It can be done. There’s ways to make everything work for both ways. That’s in that sense it’s always about pushing the envelope for the next man.”
Prescott is entering the final year of his four-year, $140 million contract, scheduled to count $55 million against the salary cap. His no-trade and no-tag clauses give him all the leverage.
Prescott can choose whether he decides to become a free agent, and he isn’t likely to accept anything less than an annual average of $60 million.
“I’ve never truly cared about the number, whether it was the first time in the franchise tag and the negotiations or now,” Prescott said. “That’s why I said I have an agent that I’m confident in and a front office that we can figure out something for both of us that makes sense.”
Owner Jerry Jones said Friday that talks are continuing with Prescott and holdout receiver CeeDee Lamb.
“I would not have a legitimate progress point there at all [with Prescott], and I really don’t have one for Lamb either,” Jones said. “And it’s not negative. I’m just not thinking that it will do any good to talk about progress.”
The NFL suspended edge rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad for six games for violating the league’s policy on performance enhancing substances. Muhammad, then a member of the Colts’ practice squad, missed the final five games of last season.
If Muhammad is to make the Cowboys roster, he will still be suspended for Week 1.
Muhammad, 29, signed with the Cowboys earlier this week.
He has not played a regular-season game since 2022 with the Bears.
Muhammad has 157 tackles, 12 sacks, four forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in his career.
EDITOR’S NOTE: A previous version of this story was posted based on information from the Cowboys’ website that said the NFL had lifted Muhammad’s suspension after he’d served five games last year. The story has been updated to reflect that the aforementioned information was incorrect.
Most of the discussion concerning Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons this offseason has dealt with his contract, but there’s on-field issues to sort out as well.
Parsons is set to play in defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer’s scheme for the first time and he shared some of what that will look like while talking to reporters on Thursday. He said that Zimmer’s plan for the coming year involves a wider range of responsibilities than he had under former coordinator Dan Quinn. Those responsibilities include a pass coverage role that he rarely played in the past.
“I think it’s gonna be a very interesting year,” Parsons said, via the team’s website. “What I’m gonna be doing is a whole bunch of stuff — dropping in the flats, curls, it’s really everything. They’re expanding my versatility and using me in ways I should be used, and moving me around to make [offenses] ID me from other places; and [sending] me when they should send me. He’s gonna utilize every asset of my ability and that’s something I appreciate. That’s the plan, so I focused on trying to be in better shape and trying to be better now knowing what the standard is and what he’s gonna have me doing. I really like it a lot and it’s gonna be a really good year for me. They’re moving me around and bringing pressure from other places.”
Parsons’s production during his first three seasons has put him in position for a big contract and expanding the impact he has on defense won’t do anything to make that deal cheaper, but the Cowboys don’t seem to be in any particular hurry to close that deal ahead of the 2024 season.
Dak Prescott had his annual one-on-one sit downs with the DFW television stations Thursday. His contract, of course, was the No. 1 query of all of them.
The Cowboys quarterback, as everyone is aware, is entering the final year of his contract. He has all the leverage with no-trade and no-tag clauses in his contract.
So, Prescott can choose whether to become a free agent, and he again talked about the possibility of finishing his career elsewhere.
“Having a kid, your perspective changes a little bit in life,” Prescott told Jeff Kolb of Fox 4. “A lot of quarterbacks have [played for other teams]. That’s just the business and nature of this game. That’s just me not being naive to that.
“It’s not something I look for, or prepare, even plan for, but if something like that happens, I’ll certainly be ready for it.”
Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said earlier this week the team had sent Prescott’s representation a new offer in recent days. It is unlikely anything gets done without a deal that averages $60 million annually.
But both sides publicly have stated their desire to get a deal completed that allows Prescott to remain in Dallas long term.
“I’ve got a ton of confidence [the sides can agree to a long-term deal], but honestly, it’s not something I think about,” Prescott told Kolb. “I’m here in training camp and focused on this year. I’m on a contract for this year and that’s all I really care about.”
Prescott is coming off a career-best season, finishing second to Lamar Jackson in MVP voting after leading the NFL in completions (410) and touchdown passes (36) while throwing for 4,516 yards.
He goes into his ninth season as one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in team history but still without a Super Bowl title or even a berth in the NFC Championship Game.
Prescott wants to get better and win more in 2024.
“The experience that I’ve had, the confidence that I have in myself, this team, the knowledge has grown,” Prescott said. “I’m at my best and only getting better.”
The Cowboys are expected to sign Shaka Toney and Al-Quadin Muhammad after working out four edge rushers in Oxnard, California, on Thursday, Patrik Walker of the team website reports.
Their agreement with Muhammad previously was reported.
He has 157 tackles, 12 sacks, four forced fumbles and a fumble recovery over the course of his career.
Toney, a former teammate of Micah Parsons at Penn State, played under Cowboys defensive line coach Jeff Zgonina in Washington.
The Commanders waived Toney in April, days after the league reinstated him from a one-season suspension for violating the league’s gambling policy.
Toney, 26, entered the NFL as a seventh-round pick of the Commanders in 2021. He appeared in 26 games during two seasons in Washington, totaling 16 tackles, three quarterback hits and 1.5 sacks.
Carl Lawson and Justin Hollins also worked out for the Cowboys on Thursday.
The Cowboys worked out several pass rushers in the wake of losing Sam Williams to a torn ACL last weekend and they’ve settled on signing one of them.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that they will sign Al-Quadin Muhammad to their 90-man roster. Carl Lawson, Shaka Toney, and Justin Hollins also worked out for the team.
Muhammad spent last season on the Colts’ practice squad after failing to make the cut to 53 players out of training camp. It was a return to Indianapolis for Muhammad as he played for the team for four seasons before moving on to the Bears for the 2022 campaign.
Muhammad has 157 tackles, 12 sacks, four forced fumbles and a fumble recovery over the course of his career.
Cowboys defensive end Sam Williams tore the anterior cruciate and the medial collateral ligaments in his left knee during Sunday’s practice. He will undergo season-ending surgery to repair the damage.
That leaves a void for the team behind DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons.
Not surprisingly, the Cowboys will workout some pass rushers Thursday, including veteran Carl Lawson, Todd Archer of ESPN reports.
He played only six games last season for the Jets, making five tackles with no sacks and no quarterback hits. But Lawson had 27 sacks in the previous five seasons.
UPDATE 10:30 P.M. ET: Nick Eatman of the team website reports that Shaka Toney, Al-Quadin Muhammad and Justin Hollins are the other pass rushers the Cowboys will workout.