Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons has made it clear many times that he’s in no rush to sign an extension with his team. Though he has just two years remaining on his rookie deal and he intends to play for Dallas for the remainder of his career, Parsons believes his performance will yield the contract he desires whenever the time is right. That’s why he’s not considering his time away from the team this offseason as a holdout.
During mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, the former first-rounder explained why practicing and training privately was the best thing for him, even if it meant missing opportunities with the Cowboys.
“Yeah, you know, I think the more years you have, the more you understand that there’s also like the business side to it,” Parsons said, per NFL Network’s Jane Slater. “You know, and I think that’s what camp is for. I mean, there was a time where Aaron Donald didn’t even go to camp and he won Defensive Player of the Year and then went to the playoffs…
“Like we wasn’t talking about the best defensive player wasn’t even in camp… So, I’m just looking at it as a time for my body to heal. I’m playing as an undersized rusher… banged up every year. So I’m just letting my body heal. I’m just trying to grow, strengthen, and really just get ready for the year.”
The Penn State star followed a similar plan last offseason. It resulted in a career-best year for him. Heading into his fourth year in the league, Parsons believes there’s nothing more valuable to him, or to the team, than him playing with his full health.
“If I’m not available when it really matters because I’m banged up or my body is not healing properly or I didn’t get all the rehab or treatment that I need to be successful, then that’s on me,” Parsons said. “It’s not on them. They’ll just find the next me.”
Parsons picking up on new defensive install
Missing OTAs put Parsons behind on the team’s defensive install under new coordinator Mike Zimmer. However, he’s still been working with run game coordinator Paul Gunther. The defensive star surprised the media on Tuesday when he revealed he and Zimmer have hardly talked.
“Honestly, me and Zim have probably said a total of 20 words together,” Parsons said. “He’s a very quiet person. All I keep hearing from the coaches, ‘Zim likes it [like] this’ Well, I like it this way. So I can’t wait to sit down with him because that would be pretty cool. Obviously, old school mindset, old school mentality. You know I think he’s had a lot of great players but he ain’t ever had a Micah.
“Obviously, some things I have to get used to, too. You know it’s going to be a compromising relationship.”
Mike Zimmer excited to work with ‘dynamic’ edge rusher
For his part, Zimmer is excited to get to work with Parsons. And why would he not? The star has posted 40.5 sacks in his first three years in the league.
“He’s such a dynamic player that, I said this the other day: ‘Offenses are always going to know where he’s at.’ They’re going to turn protections to him, have the back help chip no matter what it is,” Zimmer said last month.
“In a lot of the games he played last year that I watched, the offenses had a good scheme where they get two tight ends on him and all those things. So, we’re going to obviously move him around, do different things with him. But we’re going to use him some ways where we’re getting the protection turned the way we want it turned and able to win on the other side. Sometimes, we’re going to try to overload a protection where he gets a one-on-one.”
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