What’s the Cowboys’ plan for playing without Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence?

The optimism the Dallas Cowboys had while boarding buses to leave MetLife Stadium on Thursday night, changed Friday morning. There was hope that top pass rushers Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence avoided significant injuries in the second half of Dallas’ 20-15 win over the New York Giants.

Friday MRIs revealed that Parsons suffered a left high ankle sprain and Lawrence a more significant right foot sprain. Parsons is week to week. The Cowboys officially placed Lawrence on injured reserve Tuesday, meaning he will miss at least the next four games.

Parsons and Lawrence were both wearing walking boots and using knee scooters while in the team’s locker room at The Star on Monday. Lawrence didn’t speak with reporters. Parsons sounded about as down as he’s been during his time with the Cowboys. He said he has never missed a game throughout his football career because of injury.

“It’s just frustrating,” Parsons said. “Going from being ready and being there for the team, to like being out hurts me. Because I feel like I’m letting people down. I kind of pictured myself as invincible for a while. (This is) humbling.”

The three-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro knows it’s unlikely that he will be able to play when the Cowboys travel to Pittsburgh this weekend. The team is preparing this week as if he won’t be available. Dallas then hosts Detroit before having a bye week. If he’s still not close next week, it would make sense to keep him out until after the bye and have him ready for Week 8 at San Francisco.

“That probably makes sense to some,” Parsons said, “but when you’re a real competitor, you only get 17 chances at this, and missing one of these opportunities to perform at the highest level bothers me. I feel like I want to play on Sunday. If I can play, I will play. As long as I can run and move how I move, I want to play.”

While there will be speculation on the outside about signing a free agent like Randy Gregory or trying to trade for a player like Haason Reddick, the Cowboys seem set on going with what they have on their roster.

“I don’t know this time of year that anyone is willing to trade their best players,” Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said Monday on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas. “It’s just a work in progress. We’ll keep our lines of communication open around the league. If something presents itself then we’ll certainly look at it.

“It’s no secret to anyone in the league that we had two significant injuries in terms of Micah and D-Law. People who might have an inkling to do something I’m sure we’ll hear from them. But for the most part, no one is willing to mail anything in right now.”

The next-man-up strategy would mean much more work for rookie second-round pick Marshawn Kneeland, 2021 third-round pick Chauncey Golston, eighth-year veteran Carl Lawson and 2023 undrafted rookie free agent Tyrus Wheat. Kneeland has played 108 defensive snaps through four games. Golston is next at 93, followed by Lawson with 30 and Wheat with 13. Those four combined have played 150 fewer snaps than Parsons and Lawrence. Golston is the only one of the four with a sack this season. Parsons and Lawrence have combined for four. Those four have combined for two tackles for loss. Parsons and Lawrence have six. Those four have combined for three quarterback hits. Parsons and Lawrence are 11.

Dallas also signed DE KJ Henry off the Cincinnati Bengals’ practice squad on Tuesday. Henry, a fifth-round pick last year by Washington, has played in 12 NFL games. He was released by the Commanders in late August and then signed by Cincinnati. He had 1 1/2 sacks, four tackles for losses and two QB hits last season.

“Honestly, it’s not a terrible thing,” Parsons said. “You want these guys to be ready so when we get late in the season these guys are going to be prepared to go through it and they have the experience and keep getting better and better.

“I’m very confident in these guys. At the end of the day, I feel like I’ve been priming (Kneeland) for this moment for a while now and I feel like he’s just going to keep getting better and better. You’ve got (Wheat) who keeps getting better and better. You’ve got (Lawson). I don’t really think it’s going to be a huge drop-off.”

Parsons said he told the group that they are going to get some “honest rushes” without him on the field drawing double teams. Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer mentioned Monday that this situation is why depth is so important when building a roster. The Cowboys entered training camp expecting to have Sam Williams ready to take on a larger role in Year 3. But Williams was lost for the season early in camp after suffering a torn ACL.

Second-year linebacker DeMarvion Overshown could be given more opportunities to rush the passer, but the top two options will likely be Kneeland and Golston.

“He’s a hard playing dude,” Zimmer said of Kneeland. “He likes to be physical. He’s very coachable. He soaks up a lot of the coaching and things that we’re trying to teach him. He’s a really good guy. I’m glad we got him.”

Kneeland said things are starting to slow down for him.

“I like to prepare like I’m going to play a lot any way,” he said. “Now, (it’s) just knowing that I’m going to play a really good amount. It’s just playing football at the end of the day.”

Parsons said Golston reminds him of a five-time Pro Bowler, former Miami Dolphins Pro Bowl pass rusher Cameron Wake. The biggest difference is that Wake averaged just over nine sacks per season for 11 years. Golston has 4 1/2 sacks as he enters his fourth NFL season.

“Chauncey has a unique skill set that if he masters, he can be one of the best guys in the league,” Parsons said. “I’m hoping he shows it and performs it this week because it’s special. With his length and ability and the way he can pass rush, being able to utilize it, I think he can be very, very, very good.

“Those long arms, the things he is able to do with them he’s going to be very good. I’m excited to see how he performs. He always talks about waiting for his opportunity. He’s got one, so I’m waiting to see it.”

The Cowboys have not had their typical production when it comes to getting after the quarterback this season. Their eight sacks in four games ranks in the bottom half of the league. Part of the reason is because their struggles at stopping the run have allowed teams to be successful without passing as much. It’s difficult to believe that will change without arguably the team’s two best defenders.

“It’s definitely the unfortunate part of our game,” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said. “It takes a lot of players to win in this league, week in and week out. It creates a great opportunity for others. That’s really our approach.

“At the end of the day, it’s our job as coaches to make sure we got a heck of a game plan for our players to go to Pittsburgh and get the win.”

(Top photo of Chauncey Golston: Cooper Neill / Getty Images)