Dallas Cowboys 2021 first-round pick Micah Parsons quickly made a name for himself as one of the league’s premier defenders in part due to his versatility as a do-it-all linebacker. However, Parsons is now making a full-time position change to defensive end, according to Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Parsons dominated the NFL in his first two seasons, finishing as a back-to-back runner-up for the AP Defensive Player of the Year Award. Listed as a linebacker on the team’s official website, Parsons has split his time between playing inside the box and playing on the edge. This versatility has allowed Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn to get creative in his fronts and usage of Parsons.
However, Parsons’ role has begun to shift over time toward playing on the outside. As a rookie, he played 54.3% of his snaps inside the box as an interior linebacker, but as a sophomore, he played just 18.6% there, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). Instead, he spent 738 of his 917 snaps out wide on the edge.
Parsons seemed to make the switch in his second year, but his splits between inside and outside fluctuated from game to game, depending on the team and the defensive game plan. Heading into 2023, though, Parsons said he is bulking up in order to make the position change.
One reason for this move, aside from Parsons’ dominance off the edge, totaling 26.5 sacks in two seasons, is roster turnover. When Parsons was first drafted in 2021, he was a true inside linebacker at Penn State, and the Cowboys had both DeMarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory as edge rushers. The Cowboys also parted ways with linebacker Jaylon Smith early in the season, paving the way for Parsons to play more on the inside.
In his second year, Dallas lost Gregory to the Denver Broncos, creating further need for Parsons’ production on the outside. He finished the 2022 season top five in the NFL with a pass-rush win rate of 22.9%.
The Cowboys have put themselves into a position where they can afford to move Parsons’ talents to the edge full time as well. The resurgence of linebacker Leighton Vander Esch — whose 2022 PFF grade of 73.1 was his best mark since his rookie year — helps keep the middle of the field under control.
Dallas has also made significant investments toward linebackers and box defenders. Donovan Wilson has been a key defender in the box, and Jayron Kearse has acted as a hybrid box defender, slot corner and tight end eraser. The Cowboys also put recent draft capital into the additions of Jabril Cox, DeMarvion Overshown and Damone Clark.
The Cowboys finished the 2022 season in the top five in sacks, scoring defense and turnovers forced, and as the team continues to invest in its defensive front, it appears ready for another strong year in 2023 — in no small part thanks to Parsons.
