Cowboys' Micah Parsons makes stunning NFC proclamation

The reigning NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles cast a large shadow atop the conference. Still, Dallas Cowboys All-Pro linebacker Micah Parsons believes the division and the conference belong to America's Team in 2023. 

Appearing on 105.3 The Fan on Thursday, Parsons proclaimed that the Cowboys were the "top team" in the NFC. 

"I think we are the top team when you talk about numbers and experience, guys we got back," Parsons said. "I think we're the only team that gained players. We didn't lose a Javon Hargrave and then draft somebody. We have everybody across the board. 

"When you talk about years of playing together, years of experience, I think we're up there to be that better team." 

Dallas lost mainstays like Ezekiel Elliott, Dalton Schultz and Anthony Brown, but most of the 2022 team that went 12-5 is back. However, when it comes to the rival Eagles, the player they selected to replace Hargrave happens to be Jalen Carter, who many pundits graded as the best player in the 2023 NFL Draft. 

Despite Parsons' confidence, the oddsmakers don't agree with his thoughts on the Cowboys. Instead, they feel the Eagles (-110) will buck a trend in the East, becoming the first team in 18 seasons to repeat as division winners. Meanwhile, in the NFC race, the Eagles again own the best odds to win the conference (+330), followed by the San Francisco 49ers (+400) and Cowboys (+650), per OddsChecker.