Micah Parsons wasn't present at Thursday's Cowboys practice for the first time this training camp, even amidst his ongoing contract issue with the team. However, his absence reportedly had nothing to do with the contract dispute—Parsons was dealing with back tightness, via ESPN's Adam Schefter.
It's unclear how serious Parsons's back issue is. Him missing out on practice was likely for cautionary reasons.
This might explain why Cowboys VP Stephen Jones didn't sound too worried about Parsons missing practice on Thursday. He reiterated to media members that Parsons remains with the Cowboys.
Parsons publicly requested a trade from the organization on Aug. 1 after Dallas reportedly attempted to negotiate a deal without the involvement of Parsons's agent. Despite the request, the Cowboys have expressed that they have no intention of trading Parsons, suggesting it was nothing more than a negotiation tactic.
Parsons has still been showing up to training camp sessions since the trade request, even if he wasn't fully participating in drills necessarily.
It's unclear how much progression, if any at all, has occurred regarding Parsons's deal since he requested a trade. As of Tuesday, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones admitted he hadn't spoken with the defensive star since his request. The sentiment around the organization has remained somewhat positive, though, especially after Jones told fans on Saturday to "not lose any sleep over this." Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott even told reporters on Thursday that he has faith Parsons will remain his teammate. Time will tell.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Micah Parsons Missed Cowboys' Thursday Practice Due to Health Issue.
