National Football League

Micah Parsons: Cowboys didn't get players they were 'missing' this season

Published Jan. 31, 2024 7:03 p.m. ET

As the Dallas Cowboys continue to lick their wounds in the wake of their NFC wild-card round loss to the Green Bay Packers, star linebacker Micah Parsons opined about a problem with the team's Super Bowl aspirations: The franchise didn't address its weaknesses this season.

"They’re talking about how we’re going ‘all-in’ this year. Man, that’s what I would hope for," Parsons said on the latest edition of his podcast, "The Edge with Micah Parsons." "I’m 24 years old. I’ve been in this league three years, and I’ve kinda seen it all. I hope we go all in. I hope that we go out and get the players that we’re missing, because we didn’t do that this year.

"I hope that we challenge ourselves to become better and become greater for us."

Parsons finished the 2023 regular season with 14 sacks, 64 combined tackles, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. That said, he had just two combined tackles in the Cowboys' 48-32 wild-card round loss to the Packers, playing 86% of the defensive snaps.

Dallas was balanced on both sides of the ball this season. Offensively, it averaged 258.6 passing yards (third in NFL), 112.9 rushing yards (14th), 371.6 total yards (fifth) and 29.9 points (first) per game. Defensively, the Cowboys surrendered just 187.4 passing yards (fifth), 112.4 rushing yards (16th), 299.7 total yards (fifth) and 18.5 points (fifth) per game.

Dallas went 12-5 for a third consecutive season and claimed the NFC East division title for the second time in three years. At the same time, it has also been eliminated in the wild-card round in two of the last three years.

Parsons has logged 13-plus sacks and received an NFL Pro Bowl nod in each of his three seasons in the NFL. The linebacker has also captured All-Pro honors twice, while winning the 2021 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award.

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Dallas has several starters set to hit free agency this offseason, including running back Tony Pollard, left tackle Tyron Smith, center Tyler Biadasz and defensive backs Jayron Kearse and Stephon Gilmore.

As for the prospects at their disposal — or lack thereof — the Cowboys own the No. 24 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and are over the cap. Head coach Mike McCarthy will return for a fifth season.

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