Micah Parsons almost back, Chase Young on the radar, RB options

Dallas gets a much-needed sendoff after being embarrassed at home by Detroit, 47-9, in Week 7. Fearing they need to win to stay above .500, the Cowboys can get one of their best players back on the field just in time. Despite this, Dallas still needs help along the defensive line and in the offensive backfield. With the trade deadline looming, rumors are swirling about what they could do, but right now they need all the help they can get.

Micah Parsons sprained his ankle during Dallas’ Week 4 win over the New York Giants. Every week he wondered if he would play, but now it finally looks like we will see Parsons back on the field. The Cowboys play in San Francisco this week and Parson has not been ruled out.

If not this week, then Week 9 in Atlanta could be the game, we see Parsons back on the field behind Kirk Cousins. This Cowboys defense hasn’t been great this season, although they played better leading up to their thrashing of the Detroit Lions.

Things won’t get much easier against the Niners this week, but getting Parsons back could potentially boost team morale. Additionally, at 3-4, the 49ers struggle with most of Brock Purdy’s weapons out of the lineup. The 49ers have owned the Cowboys wherever they played in recent years, so now would be the time to take advantage of a hurting Niners team.

The bottom line is that the Cowboys need help getting after the quarterback, and they need it fast. Micah Parsons has been out for a few weeks with an ankle injury, but should be back on the field soon. His status for Sunday’s game against the 49ers is still up in the air, but there is optimism among the team. Demarcus Lawrence is still on injured reserve with a foot injury, so Dallas is quite thin and rushes the passer.

Enter Chase Young, the former Washington Commanders phenom who started his career on fire in 2020 by making the Pro Bowl as a rookie and winning Defensive Rookie of the Year. Since then, Young has been plagued by the injury bug, having suited up for double-digit games just once since his rookie year.

Currently, Young can be acquired quite cheaply from the New Orleans Saints given his recent production. With just 1.5 sacks this season, he hasn’t started a game yet, but he’s still young enough that he could still turn his career around under the right circumstances. Whether the Cowboys pursue Young will become clear soon, but right now the Cowboys need capable bodies along that defensive line.

A recurring theme or complaint this season revolved around the Cowboys’ running game. Rico Dowdle has improved, but Dallas still needs more power in the backfield. Former Minnesota Vikings Pro Bowl back Dalvin Cook is on the roster and was on the practice squad. Oddly enough, the Cowboys didn’t call him up considering they have the worst offense in the league.

Cook staying on the practice squad for so long either highlights the incompetence of Mike McCarthy’s coaching staff, or they’re telling us that Cook is out of it or dealing with injuries. Either way, bringing him up can’t be much worse than what they’ve already produced this season.

There is also talk of another back who could be available and that is Travis Etienne of the Jacksonville Jaguars. This conversation stems from the fact that backup Tank Bigsby is playing very well and the fact that Jacksonville is going nowhere fast. It’s one of those situations where the season is halfway over and it’s time to unload and restart. That’s really where the Etienne talk comes from, but it’s not a bad thought for Jones to consider as he’s better than any option currently on the active roster.