Micah Parsons

Cowboys LB Micah Parsons was asked if he’d talked to owner Jerry Jones since the octogenarian’s blustery, news-making opening press conference when he downplayed the rush to sign Parsons to a new deal. He also explained why he’s not holding out from camp as he seeks a new deal. 

“No, but I’m going to talk to him,” he said via NFL Media’s Jane Slater. “I just thought that, as a whole, everyone’s situation is different. At the end of the day, I’m here for my teammates — I’m not here to please another grown man — I’m here for them. I want to be here with Tre, watch him rehab, watch him be on the field, watch his groove. I want to be here, battling with Terrance Steele. I’m here for these guys — I’m not here for him. So, I think, at the end of the day, he’s on the field with us, we’re all on the field playing the games. I’m just going to control my teammates, keep boosting it and we’re just going to keep playing together.” 

“There’s really not much movement on contract talks,” Parsons continued via Jon Machota. “I want to be here. At the end of the day, they sign the checks. Let’s see if they want me to be here. I’m doing this for myself and my teammates. This isn’t for Jerry.”

Cowboys

• Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer on TE Jake Ferguson: “I mean, he’s an enforcer. He’s a guy that plays the game the right way. He plays the game on the edge. And I have zero doubts in my mind that his production will get back to really where it was the year before. I think last year was just kind of one of those years that you look back on your career and you (think) this is more of a fluke than anything.” (Jane Slater)
• Schottenheimer says DT Mazi Smith will likely start at 1 technique: “I think he knows, in this type of defense that we’re going to play with Flus and Aaron Whitecotton, (Mazi) knows that the ability to get vertical and chase out of the stack and things like that will be really, really important to follow.” (Slater)
• On how WR George Pickens will help QB Dak Prescott this season: “I mean, I think you looked at us last year; we just didn’t have enough explosives. I mean, you know, both running and passing, we didn’t have enough explosive plays. Defenses adjust and they change, but you know you have decisions to make, and when you have a receiver like that, that when he’s one on one, you feel really good that he’s going to be open.” (Slater)
• Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs on the $500,000 salary loss for working out alone instead of with the team: “That hurt my feelings. I hope to make it back in incentives…I’m still very happy here.” (Patrik Walker)

Giants

• Giants HC Brian Daboll said WR Malik Nabers is “ready to go” and expected to practice fully. (Dan Salomone)
• Giants GM Joe Schoen would not say if he thinks he’s built a playoff team this season: “My expectation is we have a competitive roster” (Ralph Vacchiano)
• Schoen expects OT Andrew Thomas to be ready for Week 1, adding that nothing is for certain. (Raanan)
• Giants CB CorDale Flott is competing for the starting cornerback spot opposite CB Paulson Adebo. (Hughes)
• Nabers said that surgery was discussed for his injured toe, but the decision was made not to do so, with the team planning to manage the injury. (Hughes)
• Giants DT Dexter Lawrence said he is focused on winning, not his contract, as he believes winning games will take care of the fact that he is yet to speak with the team. (Pat Leonard)