Frisco, Texas — Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer offered a measured update on Micah Parsons on Tuesday, declining to discuss specifics of Parsons’ meeting after the defensive star did not wear his jersey and lay on a medical table during Friday’s preseason game. He remains confident Parsons will be available for the Sept. 4 opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, though he acknowledged Parsons could be limited if he does play.
“At the end of the day as soon as he can get out there, that’s great, but again there will be a ramp-up plan for him,” Schottenheimer said. “And when he lines up out there to play, do I think he would play 75 plays and every play? Probably not. I don’t think that that’s real. But I do think that he can be very disruptive like we all know.”
Parsons has not practiced all summer as he attends to a hold-in related to a contract extension that remains unsettled. While peers such as Terry McLaurin and Trey Hendrickson have ended their holdouts, Parsons’ talks have shown little movement.
Dallas appears to intend to keep Parsons on the rookie contract’s fifth-year option, worth $21.324 million. A back MRI last Friday came back clean, and Schottenheimer said Parsons is cleared medically to practice “at this time.” After the league-mandated three days off, the Cowboys return to practice on Friday, with three sessions planned for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday before flying to Philadelphia.
“Every day that he can get out there and get reps would be great,” Schottenheimer said, noting that Parsons’ presence in walk-throughs and on the sideline has aided communication. “But the best way to get better at football is to play football, so I would say as soon as possible would be the desired effect.”
Summary: The Cowboys are balancing Parsons’ health with his contract situation, planning a cautious ramp-up ahead of the opener while emphasizing his potential impact when on the field. If he is limited early, Dallas will rely on a broader defensive group to mitigate the risk and keep him ready for a full contribution as the season begins. Positive sign is the clean MRI and the clear path to practice resumption, keeping the trajectory toward a regular-season debut on track.