Jerry Jones Tries to Fill Micah Parsons’ Void by Signing Veteran Pass Rusher As Cowboys Register Season’s First Win

The Dallas Cowboys are still dealing with the fallout from Jerry Jones’ decision to trade Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers. It may take them a while to fully move on from it. Thankfully, a thrilling 40-37 victory in their Week 2 matchup against the New York Giants on Sunday is helping ease the pain a bit.

In the meantime, Jones is still doing what he can to help patch up the defense. Before the team had even made it back to the plane following Brandon Aubrey’s overtime heroics at the AT&T Stadium, Jones announced that he had managed to sign yet another veteran pass rusher, the former Houston Texan, Jadeveon Clowney.

For fans of America’s team, that’s great to hear. But for James Houston, there may be some cause for panic.

The former sixth-round draft pick (2022), who signed with the Cowboys in July,  found a bit of breathing room after the exit of Parsons. But the veteran presence and upside of Clowney may just be enough to push Houston to a reserve role, if not off the main roster entirely.

Even though he’s far removed from his prime, Clowney is still a former first overall draft pick and three-time Pro Bowler. That resume alone should be enough for him to take precedence over the lesser-known names who are currently in the trenches for Dallas. But then, the 32-year-old is also a short-term fix for the season and nothing more.

The darling of the 2014 NFL Draft signed a one-year deal with Jones and the Cowboys, and will receive $3.5 million. The signing isn’t necessarily a surprise.

Clowney visited the team’s facility four days before the deal was announced, and was reportedly in attendance for some of the team’s recent practices as well. It’s unlikely that he’ll prove to be an immediate difference maker. But any degree of help will be useful for the Cowboys right now.

The Philadelphia Eagles lit them up on the ground during the opening contest of the season, notching a total of 158 rushing yards. That total dropped to 84 rushing yards against the Giants this week. But even that improvement was offset by the fact that their secondary allowed a whopping 422 passing yards and three passing touchdowns.

It may not have been the convincing win that many were expecting just a few days back. But it’s a win nonetheless, and it keeps Dallas firmly in the mix for the divisional crown, at least for now. Up next is a relatively less challenging match-up against the Chicago Bears, who are currently allowing an average of 39.5 points per game.

If everything goes according to plan, then the Cowboys should be able to find themselves with a winning record heading into their rivalry game against Parsons and the Packers in Week 4.