In case you missed it among the flurry of star-studded free agent signings by the Dallas Cowboys last week…

Yes, that was sarcasm. The Cowboys are sticking to their bargain bin shopping plan for free agency that has worked so well the last three decades.

Yes, that was also sarcasm.

But the biggest splash from Cowboys’ related free agency came in the wake of a veteran’s departure.

DeMarcus Lawrence packed his bags for Seattle after an 11-year stint in Dallas.

The move was not surprising. He missed all but four games last year, and it was time for him to move on, as he did.

But the sparks began flying, as did the shots, after he landed in Washington State.

Tank Takes His Shot

Lawrence was interviewed shortly after getting to Seattle and had this to say.

“Dallas is my home… My family lives there, but I know for sure I’m not going to win a Super Bowl there.”

That was sure to leave a burn or two around The Star. Apparently, it wasn’t just the front office that felt it though.

Micah Parsons quickly chimed in on Twitter/X and was clearly not amused.

“This what rejection and envy look like! This some clown s***!” he posted on Twitter/X.

It didn’t take long for Lawrence to respond.

“Calling me a clown won’t change the fact that I told the truth. Maybe if you spent less time tweeting and more time winning, I wouldn’t have left.” he wrote in his reply.

The exchange of fire caught the attention of linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, who is rehabbing from a knee injury.

Overshown responded with: “COWBOYS vs. everybody.”

And just like that, we had gone from “Dem Boyz” to “Deez Nutz” in Dallas.

The speed of the feud even took a certain news anchor by surprise.

On Saturday, Lawrence appeared to try to put an end to the entire affair on his Twitter/X account. Or maybe his agent did.

Either way, here was his lengthy post.

Which, in a sane world, should have been the approach taken from the get-go. But suffice to say, the Lawrences and the Parsons probably won’t be inviting each other over for Sunday dinner anytime soon.

Chalk up another one to the ills of social media.

Is He Wrong Though?

Lawrence’s 11-year run with the Cowboys ended with 450 tackles and 61.5 sacks. He had a touchdown scored on an interception return, in 2021, and a fumble return, in 2022.

He saw both Tony Romo and Dak Prescott lead solid teams, only to come up short in the playoffs year after year.

After 11 years, and with no indication that the ownership or front office would change their ways, why would he think anything else other than what he said?

Now, can he win one in Seattle? After they just traded away their starting quarterback and star wide receiver?

I’m not sure.

I’m not even sure the Seahawks’ odds of winning are better than the Cowboys right now.

But you can’t blame the guy for wanting to go elsewhere and see if doing things differently translates into a better season ending than what he’s seen so far.

But he isn’t wrong about two things. The first involves Parsons’ time spent on social media and his podcast.

Fair or not, it gives the impression that Parsons isn’t devoting himself 100% to being better on the field.

And before you say it, yes, Parsons, in just four years, already has 256 tackles and 52.5 sacks, far ahead of the pace needed to surpass Lawrence’s regular season numbers.

But in four playoff games, he has just 18 tackles and one sack. Like Prescott, Parsons tends to fade away in the playoff games.

The great players elevate themselves, and their teams, in those games.

There is still time for both Parsons and Prescott to do this in Dallas.

Lessons Learned?

In Parsons’ case, spending less time on social media and getting into flame wars with former teammates, and more time on improving his play would be a good start.

Judging by his last tweet on the matter, Lawrence realizes that he’s had a great career, and he’s better than taking the kind of cheap shot he did last week.

But his comment, and others made by other former players after they depart Dallas, are an ill omen going forward for Dallas.

For him to have felt the need to even vocalize that makes one wonder about the culture inside the organization.

It does not seem to be a good one. Certainly not the kind one associates with franchises accustomed to playing for and winning titles.

Addressing, and changing, that culture is job one for new head coach Brian Schottenheimer.

He’ll have a better chance of succeeding if the front office joins in on that effort too.