Micah Parsons stresses need to fix 'imbalance' among players as Cowboys start 'resetting'

Expectations were high around the Dallas Cowboys in 2024 after signing Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb to lucrative contract extensions. But a season marred by injuries resulted in a 7-10 record and Mike McCarthy’s eventual departure after the final year of his deal.

With Brian Schottenheimer now in as head coach, Micah Parsons said the Cowboys know what they have to do. They have to lock in and avoid the “imbalance” that appeared to set in last year.

Parsons pointed out the road ahead for Dallas under Schottenheimer, with an emphasis on player development. With that, though, the team is resetting a bit – which could work out as the younger leaders start to step up.

“It’s gonna be tough now,” Parsons said on ESPN Radio. “Every team, they’re pretty much going all-in. They’ve got small QB bills. But at the end of the day, we’ve got to be ready to prepare our butts off and game plan and actually get guys better. We need to develop these young guys. That comes in on the players. Us players have to do better at developing young guys, creating a winning culture.

“Honestly, I think it’s good we’re kind of resetting. We’re resetting when it comes to certain players and things so we can just focus on building the culture. I just think there was kind of an imbalance of players, between the old-school way and the youth way. I think it gives leeway for guys like me to step in and take charge in the lead.”

Micah Parsons is entering the final year of his rookie deal after the Cowboys picked up his fifth-year option. He’s the focal point of the Dallas defense, which will now have former Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus calling plays as defensive coordinator.

But Parsons is also one of the Cowboys’ biggest leaders. He was also one of the first to react to McCarthy’s departure, but said the team needs to stick together and adapt to whatever lies ahead.

“He’s always been good to us,” Parsons said, per Jon Machota of The Athletic. “Losing a great coach like Mike hurts. It’s gonna be a very interesting offseason. It’s gonna be a complete reset. I trust that we’re gonna make the right decisions. … As one of the leaders of this team, I’m gonna be looking forward to accepting all challenges and embrace whatever comes to help lead my team to a championship.

“We gotta move on. We can’t think about the past. … There are no setbacks. Some of the greatest players learn to adjust.”