Mike McCarthy: Micah Parson battling 'bit of a cold,' won't practice Thursday

The status of star defender Micah Parsons for the Dallas Cowboys game against the New York Giants on Monday Night Football is no sure thing, as Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy shared on Thursday that the second-year edge rusher has a cold.

Parsons isn’t practicing on Thursday, McCarthy said. Ideally for the Cowboys, a little extra rest on the end of the week will have Parsons ready to go come Monday.

“Battling a little bit of a cold, so we’re just going to be smart with him,” McCarthy said about Parsons on Thursday.

The Cowboys will surely be hoping to have Parsons available on Monday, as he’s been one of the best defenders in the league since bursting on to the scene as a rookie in 2021. He’s registered two sacks in each of the first two games this season, a loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and then a win against the Cincinnati Bengals this past weekend.

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With quarterback Dak Prescott sidelined for the time being with a thumb injury — and with the knowledge that the offense wasn’t that effective in the limited sample we saw with Prescott playing — the Cowboys will need to lean on their defense in the coming weeks. And that means they’ll need Parsons playing as many snaps as he can.

The Cowboys worked out a former Panthers receiver on Wednesday

The Cowboys hosted former Carolina Panthers wide receiver Ra’Shaun Henry for a workout on Wednesday, according to NFL reporter Aaron Wilson. The former Virginia standout also worked out with the San Francisco 49ers this week.

Henry was an undrafted free agent after spending two seasons with the Cavaliers. He signed with the Panthers after the draft but didn’t make it through to the regular season. Carolina cut him from the practice squad on Sept. 5.

After graduating from St. Francis, Ra’Shaun Henry transferred to Virginia. In 21 games, he totaled 41 receptions for 809 yards and seven touchdowns.

The speedy 6-foot-3, 190-pound wideout could find a home back in his home state if he lands with the Cowboys. Henry is a Killeen native. Dallas made a move to waive a wide receiver on Tuesday and a spot on the practice squad could be opening up.