The Dallas Cowboys took the field for mandatory minicamp on Tuesday. Once again, the talk of practice was not about what happened in between the hash marks. Rather, all eyes and brains fixated on Micah Parsons and his contract situation.
Criticized for not participating in OTAs, Parsons reported to minicamp even though contract negotiations have hit a snag in recent weeks. The same cannot be said for all star pass rushers, specifically the Steelers' T.J. Watt and Bengals' Trey Hendrickson.
Parsons stood off to the side during Tuesday's practice due to back tightness. He is not holding out and doesn't plan to for training camp, either. The All-Pro told reporters afterwards that he'll be in Oxnard for training camp whether or not his contract is resolved.
Micah Parsons plans to report to Cowboys training camp regardless of contract
Parsons did not say whether he'd be on the field practicing, but this is a massive win for Dallas regardless.
Cowboys fans will remember that CeeDee Lamb staged a holdout last summer. Nobody held it against Lamb, but the lack of practice time was evident once the regular season started. Lamb's chemistry with Dak Prescott was a tick off and took a couple weeks to settle in.
While Parsons' production isn't dependent on chemistry, it is important he has consistent practice time before September rolls around as it lessens the risk of a soft-tissue injury and ensures that he'll be as close to in game shape as possible.
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If nothing else, this shows how far Parsons has come as a leader. He was challenged to carry the torch passed by Zack Martin, Tyron Smith, Jourdan Lewis and DeMarcus Lawrence and has done so with flying colors.
Like Lamb, nobody would have faulted Parsons if he "skipped" training camp while awaiting a new contract. It has become common practice around the NFL. The superstar wide receiver trained on his own in preparation of the new season before finally signing at the very end of camp.
At the end of the day, Parsons is doing everything Cowboys fans and the national media asked of him. It is time for Jerry and Stephen Jones to do their part and end the contract nonsense so Parsons can get back on the field with his teammates.