Cowboys face injuries and Parsons contract dispute ahead of Week 1

The Dallas Cowboys entered the final days of training camp with a double-edged headwind: a spate of injuries that has thinned the defense and a public contract stalemate that keeps Micah Parsons off the practice field even as the season nears. As the team wrapped up its padded work in California, questions about Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles and the readiness of a defense built around Parsons grew louder, underscoring how fragile momentum can be when salaries, contracts and on-field drills collide.

In Oxnard, Dallas was forced to absorb a growing injury toll. Jaydon Blue was sidelined with a bone bruise, while starter Robert Jones suffered a broken neck bone that ends his season before it begins. With multiple starters listed as questionable for the opening game, the defense—once viewed as a potential strength—has become a focal point for concern. Compounding the unease is Parsons’ absence from live drills despite his continued presence at walkthroughs and meetings. He has shown up, but has declined to don pads or participate in contact, leaving the unit’s most impactful player without a recent on-field test against the bite of an NFL game.