FRISCO, Texas – The Dallas Cowboys added rookie phenom and pro bowl linebacker Micah Parsons to the Reserve/COVID-19 list on Wednesday. He will miss practice this week and will likely be unavailable for Saturday’s regular season finale in Philadelphia. The Cowboys will prepare without their best player on the field.
The NFC East showdown was originally scheduled for Sunday but was flexed to Saturday with seeding implications. Parsons’ status is now in question. The Penn State product leads Dallas in sacks (13), pressures (42) and tackles for loss (12). In addition, he has amassed 84 combined tackles, three pass breakups and three forced fumbles in 16 starts. Parsons has played the most defensive snaps of the Cowboys front seven, at 83.9%.
The Cowboys are currently thin at linebacker as Parsons joins Keanu Neal on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. Neal has yet to be activated from protocols after missing the Week 17 matchup against the Cardinals due to his second positive test this season. Francis Bernard continues to rehab a groin injury, which leaves Leighton Vander Esch and Luke Gifford on the 53-man roster. The Cowboys’ signed Devante Bond to the practice squad last week, a former sixth-round pick. Dan Quinn will have to get creative this week, but Neal’s likely return will boost the second level of the defense.
