Cowboys training camp: Micah Parsons adjusting to changes, says, 'I'm going to be all over' (2024)

OXNARD, Calif. — When all there is to evaluate is the first two practices of training camp, it’s important to not jump to conclusions. There will be plenty to examine as Dallas Cowboys camp progresses, but there is one difference on the field that has stood out early.

Micah Parsons, the team’s all-world pass rusher, is getting a lot more reps at a different position.

“Without getting into specifics, the way Mike Zimmer and that defensive staff are using him is going to be a really good challenge for us,” head coach Mike McCarthy said. “He looks good. Just playing a couple different positions, but yeah, I’m impressed with him.”

Through two days of camp, Parsons has been taking more snaps as an off-ball linebacker. In recent years, Parsons has excelled as an edge pass rusher. This was an expected change as Zimmer took over as defensive coordinator for Dan Quinn, who departed to become the head coach in Washington during the offseason. Quinn arrived in Dallas in 2021, so he’s the only defensive coordinator Parsons has had in the NFL until Zimmer’s arrival.

“What Zimmer is able to get out of his players is no different from Dan,” Parsons said. “I think Zimmer is starting to open up to the guys and be more open with us. We’re building that bond. As camp goes on, it will get better and better, and as the season goes on. I think it’s still going to be a very good year without Dan. I was blessed to have Dan for three years. He still checks in on me. He’s like my big uncle, someone I love very much dearly. But at the end of the day, I’ve got a job to do and that’s to kick his ass twice a year. We can hug afterwards.”

Another change for Parsons — one that should help him play a more hybrid role — is his weight. He’s at 240, losing 10 pounds to get back to his weight when he played at Penn State.

“I’m going to be all over, man,” Parsons said. “At the end of the day, they got to find me. That’s what I train for. There are some days I would go into the gym and do 500, 600 reps. It’s that muscle endurance, that conditioning that you’re training for. The long haul. Great trainers and great people helped me understand that more weight doesn’t always mean a positive thing. It’s just how you train.”

Shedding pounds should help him as a linebacker when he’s chasing pass catchers in the flat. That was on display during Friday’s practice, too, when he quickly got to KaVontae Turpin on a pass from Trey Lance.

LB Micah Parsons pic.twitter.com/hAzOBB2Epo

— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 26, 2024

However, in years prior, Parsons made it a point to add weight so that he could better withstand the punishment that comes with being in the trenches down after down. Being an elite pass rusher is still part of Parsons’ job description, if not the main part. How his body stands the test of an entire regular season and into the postseason will be significant to monitor, especially as Parsons’ late-season production has been an area of scrutiny.

Although the numbers tell a different story, Parsons doesn’t agree that there is a decline in his production as the season ages.

“I actually don’t think my production drops off at all,” Parsons said. “I think teams do a great job of game planning. I am still, I would say, one of the most feared players in the league, if you look at it. I just want to be better for myself. I owe it to the fans and my teammates to be better, to put more commitment into this and do better as a whole. … I want everyone to feel like it’s going to be a great year, and when we get to the playoffs, there are going to be no hiccups. Everyone feels strong about what their position is, what their role is and be dominant in their role. There’s no man left behind. This year is going to be a great year.”

While Parsons’ role and weight are changing, some things are staying the same. Parsons hosted a weekly podcast during the season on Bleacher Report last year called “The Edge with Micah Parsons.” This offseason, Parsons’ imprint in that facet grew as he was named president of B/R Gridiron.

Cowboys safety Malik Hooker made comments last month about Parsons’ involvement in the media space, which Parsons took exception to and responded on X in a post he later deleted. When Hooker was asked about the exchange Thursday, he downplayed it.

“Man, it wasn’t even an exchange of words,” Hooker said. “Me and Micah, right after the interview came out, we talked about it. We spoke on it. That’s like my little brother, so it wasn’t hard feelings or whatever the case may have been, so we left it at that.”

When Parsons was asked about it Friday, his answer took a bit of a different tone.

“It’s just one of those things, it is what it is, you know?” Parsons said. “People do in their free time, that’s what they do. I know what I do in my free time, so make sure you hop on ‘The Edge,’ if you got a chance on Monday or Tuesday nights. What he does on his Monday and Tuesday nights, when he’s not in the building, that’s on him. What I do, that’s me and my business and my family. So, I’m going to keep it at that.”

Was there any misunderstanding that needed to be cleared up between the two teammates?

“No misunderstanding,” Parsons said. “It’s plain as day what it was. It is what it is. Everything was said and I just want to move on and get ready for the season.”

The 2024 season will be Parsons’ fourth in the NFL. That means a major contract extension is looming, and Parsons’ name has been looped in with Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb when the Cowboys’ front office has spoken to the business side of things. Lamb’s situation is the most pressing, as the superstar wide receiver is holding out of camp ahead of the fifth year of his rookie deal. Prescott is also under a heavy spotlight because he’s a quarterback and because of the no-trade and no-franchise tag clauses that come with his deal, which is entering its final year.

Parsons has expressed his understanding of where he falls in the order, so it would be surprising to see a deal get done before the 2025 offseason. Parsons has also expressed his desire to be the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league when the extension eventually comes, a sentiment that’s shared by Lamb.

When asked about the pending contract situation, Parsons said: “There’s nothing like wearing the star, when you do it the right way. So, in terms of being here, I want to be here my whole life. I plan on building a house here and being in Dallas forever. I love the city. I love the community. I love what it stands for.

“To be honest with you, I always told you guys, the contract stuff will always take care of itself. Winning games is what I need to take care of. I focus on winning games and making plays and getting sacks. Jerry (Jones) could meet up with the agent later and they handle all that other stuff. I don’t know how that goes. I’m on my first deal. I know I got two years left here, so I’m going to try to maximize those as much as possible.”

(Photo: Brandon Sloter / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Saad Yousuf is a staff writer covering the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Stars. He also works at 96.7/1310 The Ticket in Dallas after five years at ESPN Dallas radio. Prior to The Athletic, Saad covered the Cowboys for WFAA, the Mavericks for Mavs.com and a variety of sports at The Dallas Morning News, ESPN.com and SB Nation. Follow Saad on Twitter @SaadYousuf126