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Micah Parsons responds after Cowboys teammate criticizes him for focusing on podcast – Staff, DMN
Malik Hooker and Micah Parsons weren’t seeing eye-to-eye over the latter’s podcasting.
There might be some beef between Micah Parsons and Cowboys teammate Malik Hooker.
During an appearance on Keyshawn Johnson’s “All Facts No Brakes” podcast, Hooker offered some advice for Parsons.
“My advice for Micah would be just make sure we’re alright,” Hooker said. “Because if we’re at work and and the run game’s terrible but you’re doing a podcast every week and you know the run game is terrible then what are you really caring about? Are you caring about the crowd that was watching the podcast or are you caring about the success of our team and the Super Bowl that we’re trying to reach?”
Parsons saw the clip and responded in a post on X (formerly known at Twitter).
“Just wish you said this to me but instead on some podcast! And you got my number family! @MalikHooker24 and you my locker mate!” Parsons said in the now-deleted post. “So you coulda said this any day! And you do realize I shoot the podcast on our off day! I why ain’t we talking about everyone preparations and focus.”
Parsons hosted his podcast, “The Edge with Micah Parsons,” on Bleacher Report throughout the NFL season last year. His role with Bleacher Report will expand after Parsons was named president of B/R Gridiron, its football subsection.
The Cowboys finished 12-5 for a third straight year last season, but fell to the Green Bay Packers in the wild card round. The run defense came under fire after then-Packers running back Aaron Jones rushed for 118 yards and three touchdowns in that game.
Role Call: Liufau expected to make early impact – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com
If Dallas can get rookie linebacker Marist Liufau up to speed early, it would work wonders for Mike Zimmer’s defense.
How He Got Here: Standing at 6-foot-2 and weighing in at 234 lbs., Liufau is Hawaii-born and has a football pedigree in his bloodline, helping him to carve out a name of his own on the national stage for the Fighting Irish.
One of the faster linebackers in the draft, he ran a respectable 4.64 second 40-yard dash (70th-percentile) and his wingspan works alongside his arm length to make it exceptionally challenging for opposing quarterbacks to take advantage of him — to the point where his most notable NFL comp is Darius Leonard, with collegiate comparisons to Edgerrin Cooper (Texas A&M).
What’s Next: Liufau is yet another Senior Bowl alum that caught the eye of the Cowboys, and his instincts are ready-made for what the linebacker position demands. His first step is decisive and impressive, and there isn’t a lot of guesswork in his game. On the reps wherein he does have a misstep, it’s because he hesitated before accelerating toward the play but, once he does, he’s a missile.
He plays to the whistle and takes attempted blocks as disrespect, violently shedding them en route to what is usually a sound tackle. Not many ball carriers can evade him in open space, or when he gets his hands on them. He’ll be looked upon to contribute heavily as a rookie third-round pick, on both defense and special teams in 2024.
Dallas Cowboys with something to prove in 2024: No. 1 Mazi Smith – David Moore, Dallas Morning News
Mazi Smith has to live up to being a first-round draft pick and fast.
Smith was unable to push veteran Johnathan Hankins for significant playing time. The rookie was on the field for 304 snaps — 28.4% of the team’s defensive possessions — and finished the season with 15 tackles (two for a loss), one sack and five quarterback hurries. He played in all 17 games and made three starts in December to get more experience heading into the postseason.
But Smith played just four snaps in the team’s loss to Green Bay.
Outlook: Brute strength and athleticism are what drew the Cowboys to Smith. But defensive coordinator Dan Quinn employed a different stance for his defensive linemen and asked his them to get off the ball differently than Smith did at Michigan.
Smith never adapted. The rookie was often late off the snap, which made it difficult for the staff to give him more snaps. And as the season went on, he was lighter than the club wanted.
Hankins is gone now, which opens the door for Smith. And there’s no proven depth at the position. He will be force-fed snaps in a way he wasn’t as a rookie. What new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer asks of his interior linemen is more similar to the way Smith played in college, which should help.
3 veteran FAs the Cowboys should sign ahead of training camp – Randy Gurzi, Sports Illustrated
Dallas is confident in their young receivers, but another veteran wouldn’t hurt.
Michael Thomas, WR
Another player in need of a “prove-it” deal is Michael Thomas.
Thomas was once considered among the top five wideouts in the league. He led the NFL in receptions in 2018 and 2019 and in receiving yards in 2019.
Toe injuries have limited him in recent years. as he played in just 10 games from 2020 through 2022. He did return for 10 games in 2023 for the New Orleans Saints and was effective overall.
While not his former self, Thomas hauled in 39 passes for 448 yards with a touchdown.
In Dallas, he could fill in as the third wide receiver while offering them more experience should the holdout with CeeDee Lamb continue to linger.
Cowboys still being pushed to kick the tires on veteran RBs like Dalvin Cook – Matthew Lenix, Blogging The Boys
The Cowboys have been linked to Dalvin Cook several times since the 2023 season ended.
With Tony Pollard heading to the Tennessee Titans, the Dallas Cowboys were surely going to draft a running back in 2024, right? Despite the position being a major need on the roster, the Cowboys didn’t pick one up until the undrafted free agent wave (Nathaniel Peat). So, Dallas will rely on several runners in 2024, led by Ezekiel Elliott and Rico Dowdle.
The Cowboys, much to the dismay of the fan base, aren’t big spenders in free agency. However, there are still veteran runners on the market that could be had for cheap. Dallas should consider a cash-friendly veteran option, and one name that keeps popping up is Dalvin Cook.
Dallas is currently eyeing a committee centered around Elliott, Rico Dowdle, Freeman and Deuce Vaughn. Adding another back to the mix would be sensible because if the offense doesn’t have balance, Prescott is going to face a lot of pressure.
It would behoove the Cowboys to at least kick the tires on Dalvin Cook. The four-time Pro Bowler appeared to lose a step in 2022 and struggled to get on the field in 2023. However, as Cook noted earlier this offseason, his lack of use last season has made him a well-rested option.
“ I didn’t really get no reps last year. So, the legs are fresh, so the resume speaks for itself. I’m still Dalvin Cook. I’m still that guy,” Cook told Aaron Wilson of Houston’s KPRC 2.
Naturally, the Cowboys won’t be inclined to spend a lot on a flier signing. While Cook joined the New York Jets on a one-year, $7 million deal last offseason, though, his contract demands should be much lower in 2024.
Cook could be open to a team-friendly, incentive-laden deal if it provides the opportunity to reestablish his value. Cook may not be willing to play for the league minimum, but a one-year deal in the $2-3 million range might be enough.
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