This Dallas Cowboys offseason has been full of nothing but drama, especially on the contract front. One player looking to cash in is Micah Parsons, who has sent a message to management by working out away from the team while Dallas has hosted OTAs with most other players in attendance.
Parsons finally decided to rejoin his squad this week, but it's obvious there's still some lingering tension.
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy: Micah Parsons “looks to be in really good shape. But it’s a new defense. We have work to do. We’ll be ready when it’s time.”
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) May 30, 2024
Head coach Mike McCarthy offered his star a backhanded compliment of sorts when talking with the media on Thursday. He said that while Parsons showed up in good shape, he still has "work to do," especially with a new defensive coordinator in Mike Zimmer taking over.
McCarthy also lamented that Parsons spending time away from the facility has robbed one of his leaders from a chance to bond with his new teammates.
After Micah Parsons’ rookie season, Mike McCarthy said Parsons’ next challenge as a great player would be to bring other players along with him. Parsons has missed the early parts of the voluntary offseason program the last two years, so has he missed an opportunity to do that? pic.twitter.com/XWKnSRBRhH
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) May 30, 2024
Making matters even more difficult, Parsons hasn't actively participated in OTAs despite there being hype around his return. He only showed up to fulfill his media/broadcast requirements for the upcoming season, and then didn't suit up on Thursday, much to McCarthy's unhappiness.
Micah Parsons was at The Star yesterday for internal team media day — photo shoots, video elements, etc — but he isn’t here for OTA practice today. #DallasCowboys HC Mike McCarthy didn’t appreciate multiple questions about Parsons’ attendance. He said, “What does voluntary mean?” pic.twitter.com/uU9JpYW9FB
— Garrett Podell (@garrettpodell) May 30, 2024
Micah Parsons is not at OTAs today. Mike McCarthy doesn't seem happy about it
— Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) May 30, 2024
All of this just adds to the feeling of uneasiness between the Cowboys and Parsons. The former Penn State standout's family has helped feed into the narrative that Dallas isn't the pass-rusher's long-term home, and this feuding over his first mega extension certainly hasn't helped quell those fears.
It's possible Parsons is now "holding in," where a player shows up to the facility but doesn't practice in order to put extra pressure on their team to pay up. However, this happening all while the Cowboys are already in a state of uncertainty isn't a great look for someone the locker room should be looking to as a leader.
It remains to be seen if Parsons takes the field during the rest of OTAs or even mandatory minicamp without a deal in hand.
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