FRISCO, Texas 鈥 Not sure what's been expected around here since the Cowboys granted Micah Parson's wish to be traded by doing just that, trading their four-time Pro Bowl defender to the Green Bay Packers this past Thursday.
Judging by questions being asked and general fan response, most seemed to be expecting some kind of funeral atmosphere in the locker room and in and around The Star upon return.
Not Sunday or Monday.
Chatter in the locker room has been high and loud. The ping-pong table is alive and well. No one has hung up the paddles. The Training Table where the players eat has been full and vibrant. In fact, on this Labor Day morning, the ladies working in there, helping to serve the players and staff were unusually chatty, no remorse having to work on this holiday Monday.
And the noise in the locker room could be heard from the hallway outside this morning.
Hey, there is a game to be played Thursday night to open the NFL season on national TV, as Prime Time as it gets. The defending Super Bowl champs await, poised to raise their Super Bowl flag, 7:20 p.m. (CT) at the Linc in Philadelphia with a fanbase ready to ignite, expectations swelling knowing it's the 抖阴视频 coming to town a touchdown underdog, and most predicting a worse beating than that.
Hey, the Cowboys are aware. Or at least they had better be, canning any post-trade remorse. As like to say, the NFL helps those who help themselves.
Listen to Dak, one of the six captains named Sunday, one of the most obvious choices in the player vote.
"What I got from the feeling in the locker room, I don't think there was a needed talk or lifting the guys up over the divorce or feeling down about themselves, or the situation," said Capt. Dak, in his 10th season and a pretty good judge of the locker room temperature. "It's a business. And I think a lot of guys in that locker room know that and felt that to that extent or not but (that trade) was a realization of it.
"This is a business, and hell I hope it was a wakeup call to some guys, like this is for our life, and every day you come in here and approach it as it is for your life."
In other words, if the Cowboys can trade a guy who has racked up 52陆 sacks in four seasons, well, your head ought to be on a swivel, knowing that there is that backdoor for any one of us.
Said Marshawn Kneeland, evidently a quick learner, "At first, everybody was shocked that it happened, but we're grown men, get over it."
And from salty veteran C.J. Goodwin, "We got to win with who we have, and I think we have enough."
Oh, and if there isn't enough motivation as it is coming out of this trade and knowing they are about to play the defending champs, well this could be a little extra shot if the Cowboys need some bulletin board material, or guess, sorry, social media energizing, they can shorten a post what Eagles left tackle Jordan Mailata began to say of the Cowboys trading away Parsons with, "Sigh of relief," like the rest of ya'll, and looking at you Dante Fowler, Sam Williams, Donovan Ezeiruaku, Marshawn Kneeland and James Houston coming off the edge, ain't all that.
Now in fairness, Mailata finished his sigh with, "I say that as a joke . . . but at the same time," and isn't there always a but "it's kind of crazy. The last four or five years we've come up with a game plan because Micah is a gamer. It's a sigh of relief you don't have to plan like that anymore."
Hey buddy. Better check. Circle Nov. 10, Eagles at Packers, Monday Night Football. Enjoy. Don't be "sighing" too long.
- Any Remorse: As said on Friday after the Cowboys did what Parsons asked for, to be traded, be careful what you wish for. See where Parsons said during his initial press conference in Green Bay, and seems there is a lot of sighing going on these days, "It's a sigh of relief you don't have to plan like that anymore," in reference being asked if he would have really refused to play in the Cowboys Thursday night opener, which by the way likely would have landed him on Conduct Detrimental to the Team and costing him his first week's $1.2 million paycheck if he refused to play. But Parsons would go on to say, "I didn't think I would be traded but that's the harsh reality." Harsh, you say. Could have easily been avoided if accepting the Cowboys multi-year offer that wasn't in the end much less than what he's receiving from the Packers if his agent wasn't dead set on artificially re-setting the market with the highest paid non-quarterback extension. Funny thing Micah, you had to uproot and move to Green Bay. Your agent remains in Houston.
- How Refreshing: Fourth-year cornerback DaRon Bland couldn't have been more humble and refreshing when asked about his newly signed four-year extension worth a grand total of $90 million, complete with a $22 million signing bonus and $49.3 million guaranteed, including his signing bonus, 2025 base salary and his $13 million compensation in 2026, saying he was "Kind of surprised, kind of a little dumbfounded, can't believe it and making that much doing what I do." Well, what Bland "do" is being able to play outside corner in the 4-3 base defense and then move inside to the slot when the Cowboys go to their 4-2-5 nickel defense. And to think accepting this contract and able to put that $22 million in the bank a year ahead of time to replace his $5.4 million base salary he was scheduled to earn this season, understanding the value of, what's the saying, "bird in hand is worth two in the bush." Now the Cowboys will have five years of control and able to prorate that signing bonus over five years at $4.4 million a year, his current cap hit for 2025 now just $5.8 million.
- Pickle Ball: You know what, the last time the Cowboys opened a season against the Eagles, and I was there, would have been Sept. 3, 2000, at Texas Stadium, Dave Campo's first game as the Cowboys head coach and Andy Reid starting his second season as head coach of the Eagles. Opening kickoff, 109 degrees at Texas Stadium, with 48 percent humidity. The Cowboys wilted under the Eagles barrage, 41-14, and the Eagles credited their energy to having slugged down "pickle juice" before the game to counter cramping or needing to go in for IVs to combat dehydration. Might have also had something to do with the Eagles rushing for 306 yards, with Duce Staley accounting for 201 of those in also Mike Zimmer's debut as the defensive coordinator., the only time in the Cowboys have lost a season opener to the Eagles in four games. Oh, then then there was this. Quarterback Troy Aikman left the game early in the second quarter with a concussion, almost sacked as many times (four), as had passes attempted (0 for 5). Oh, and adding insult to injury, wide receiver Joey Galloway, acquired in a trade from Seattle for two first-round drafts choices with the idea of replacing the retiring Michael Irvin, suffered a torn ACL with just 2:45 left in a 41-14 game, lost for the season. The season off to a, uh, sour start, ending in a 5-11 thud for the first of three consecutive seasons.
- What A Sight: When speaking with Goodwin on Sunday, just like two or three lockers down from where newly acquired Kenny Clark was sitting, we both acknowledge what a sight, Clark, a grown man 314 pounds, and quality pounds at that, nearly as wide as these locker room stalls. Now that right there at 6-3 is your prototype nose tackle. This guy has been eating up space for nine years, and now back where he belongs at the nose with a repaired toe, watch for him to continue to eat, and he didn't waste any time putting the pads on, jumping into practices on Sunday and Monday, pointing out on Friday he already is in the playbook. And good thing, Clark actually played the Eagles twice in 2024 with the Packers, including the final game of the season, losing to Philly in the playoffs, 22-10, finishing with five tackles.
- Padding Up: Cowboys two-time Pro Bowl corner Trevon Diggs actually practiced in pads on Sunday for the first time since the first week in December before going on injured reserve and eventually needing knee surgery that his recovery and conditioning away from The Star had kept him out of the entire offseason, training camp and preseason. Now the question will be is one padded practice enough to prepare him to play in three days at Philly? Also, in pads for the first time Sunday since suffering a bone fracture in his knee during training camp on July 28 is presumptive starting left tackle Tyler Guyton. Seems he would be somewhat questionable to participate in the opener, Nate Thomas still working with the first team, if he indeed starts in his first NFL appearance. Hope either is ready to see a whole lot of Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith & Co. Also, in pads for the first time since suffering his high ankle sprain is third tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford, giving himself a chance to suit up on Thursday.
- Three's Company: If indeed Diggs is ready to play with so little ramp-up, then the Cowboy likely are to trot out their top three cornerbacks against the Eagles trio of receivers A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Jahan Dotson, that being Diggs, Bland and Kaiir Elam. With Diggs on the field, the Cowboys can move the versatile Bland into the slot, with Diggs and Elam outside since the Eagles base offense usually is three wide. But if, and when, they go two tight ends, then maybe the Cowboys can give Diggs a break with Bland and Elam on the outside. And for depth purposes the Cowboys plan to keep newly acquired slot corner Reddy Steward active on the game-day roster.
- Cowboys Spurs: A counter to the Philadelphia area "Bird Seeds" shorts, saw Diggs taking up where Parsons left off last time in the Cowboys locker room by playing a little ping-pong the past two days and mingling with his teammates, along with participating in team stretch, like hmmm, point made? . . . Count Sam Williams as being "excited, really excited," to get back on the field playing a game since he missed all of last with that torn ACL, wanting to show everyone what he can do after "11 hard month of work, six days a week." . . . Add George Pickens to that group, too, saying, "I'm just really ready to play with my guys here." . . . And lastly, speaking of Pickens, how about this number thanks to Cowboys PR: CeeDee Lamb and Pickens have combined for 7,143 receiving yard over the past three seasons, trailing only Miami's Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
And darn it, not doing this on purpose, but here we go again with Brian Schottenheimer providing us with another last word this week, this time talking about how guys in contract negotiations sometimes being pulled away from the game, sort of how this offseason did with Micah and certainly last year with CeeDee Lamb's negotiations pulling him away from the entire training camp.
"This is the greatest game in the world," Schotty begins. "You start playing this game when you are 6, 7, 8, 9 years old. I mean I used to play literally flag football and backyard football, and you just love it. You don't care, you don't care who you play it with; are we playing in the street, are we playing in the field, are we playing at the park, where we're playing. You just love the game.
"And these guys, they don't feel different. They still love stepping out between the white lines. They still love going into that huddle and sometimes laughing and making jokes and sometimes screaming at each other. But the game is such a pure thing, man, and they just love it.
"When it's taken away from you from time to time, for different reasons, you mentioned business, it reminds you how blessed we are to do what we do."
Thanks Brian for that shot of perspective.
