The pressure is on in Dallas as the Cowboys have started slowly out of the gates in 2024. Coming off an NFC East division title and a third successive 12-win season in 2023, expectations were as high as ever for the Cowboys entering the new season — but so far, Dak Prescott and company have lost two out of three games and risk falling off the pace in the cutthroat NFC.
While the Cowboys‘ offense has come under fire, Dallas’ defense has been among the NFL’s worst units to this point in the season. After getting blown out 44-19 by the New Orleans Saints in Week 2, the Cowboys spotted the Baltimore Ravens a 28-6 lead before mounting a rally that fell just short. With a decisive portion of the season coming up, changes might be imminent if Dallas can’t pull itself together soon.
Is a Micah Parsons trade on the table?
The Cowboys’ next game is Thursday night against the New York Giants, their longtime divisional rivals. It is being viewed as a “make-or-break” type of game that could determine the franchise’s direction — and what it does with star edge rusher Micah Parsons.
Amidst lucrative contract extensions for offensive stars CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott, Parsons‘ own rookie deal is winding down as the Cowboys’ salary cap crunch gets tighter. ESPN analyst and former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky thinks that a loss to the Giants on Thrusday Night Football could lead owner/general manager Jerry Jones to take a drastic decision.
“If they lose and the season’s over, there’s only two things that can happen that matter and are impactful,” Orlovsky said on “First Take”. “It’s either, yes, a new head coach, or they trade Micah Parsons.”
Orlovsky quickly qualified that statement by saying that he wouldn’t expect a Parsons trade, even if Dallas falls to 1-3. Parsons is among the NFL’s best players in his position and has recorded at least 13 sacks in each of his first three seasons — although he has only one through three games in 2024.
While Parsons is likely an untouchable player in the end, the thought that a dramatic shakeup like that is feasible should be enough to rattle the Cowboys’ cage and produce an improved performance at MetLife Stadium.
