Parsons skips Cowboys' offseason workout, bulking up for more time at DE
Micah Parsons has yet to participate in the Dallas Cowboys' voluntary offseason workouts, but the star defender has a good reason.
Parsons has been working out separately in Austin and plans to bulk up as he prepares to play more snaps at defensive end instead of linebacker, he told ESPN's Todd Archer on Wednesday.
"I just want to increase my explosiveness, add on weight the right way, sharpen it up, eating right, and just doing anything possible that I can do the right way to be the best player I can be," said Parsons, adding that he'll return to the team facility May 22 when the Cowboys kick off organized team activities.
The two-time All-Pro said he currently weighs 252 pounds, seven pounds heavier than Dallas listed him last season. Despite the Cowboys adding him to the injury report multiple times during the 2022 campaign, Parsons has never missed a game due to injury since entering the NFL. But he said Wednesday that he hopes the position switch will help avoid injuries that could slow him down again.
"Those are just growing pains," he added. "I'm just ready to show what I can do."
Parsons' quotes quickly went viral on social media, and the 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year posted a tweet Wednesday addressing the situation.
Lol people here bulk and think I’m going from 246- 270!! If you seen any of my videos I’m still very slim and I’m putting on good weight! I’m standing at 252 currently! I will not surpass 255 at anytime in my career! This is just me putting on more muscle to carry the load!
— Micah Parsons (@MicahhParsons11) May 3, 2023
Parsons was a front-runner for the Defensive Player of the Year award through Dallas' first eight games of the 2022 campaign, racking up 13 quarterback hits, eight sacks, and one defensive touchdown while forcing two fumbles. However, he recorded only 5.5 sacks in the second half of the season en route to finishing second to Nick Bosa for the DPOY.
A natural linebacker, Parsons took the league by storm and led the Cowboys with 13 sacks as a rookie in 2021. Dallas head coach Mike McCarthy said in March 2022 that his team wasn't interested in switching Parsons to defensive end but added that the Cowboys want to move the former first-round pick around the field.