Photo Courtesy: Dallas Cowboys
FRISCO, Texas – After Micah Parsons spearheaded the Cowboys’ pass rush against the Chargers to the tune of eight pressures and four quarterback hits, it begs the question, will his role at defensive end be more prominent?
Regarding the position switch, defensive coordinator Dan Quinn made his intentions for Parsons clear by emphasizing the words, “it will continue to be part of what he does.”
“I thought he did a good job, and it will continue to be a part of what he does but there’s also some good linebacker things that he does. We’re going to make sure we don’t overload him but give him the right amount that he needs… if I ever feel like I’m pushing him over the edge, volume or anything, then we will back off. He was definitely chomping at the bit for me in the game which is a good thing. That’s what you want.”
Quinn made it known that his primary role will stay at linebacker and his intent is not to have Parsons rushing from the edge every play with his hand in the dirt (three-point stance). That decision is not based on production but rather an acknowledgement of his size and the obvious toll guarding a 300-plus pound tackle in the trenches takes on the body. Throughout the offseason, Parsons worked with the defensive line group on pass rush drills daily, a byproduct of the decision to move Parsons to the edge against the Chargers- a position he had not played since high school in Harrisburg.
“I’ve seen what he could do on the edge so doing it all the time is different than just doing it on third downs or two minutes,” Quinn remarked. “There’s a lot of factors that go into it because, quite honestly, he’s never done some of the pressures or anything as a defensive end. He’s done them at linebacker, but he doesn’t know them at that space. He’s a quick study and I got high standards for him to make sure he hits the mark, and I anticipated some errors, and it was actually less than what I thought…I like where he is at. He hit the mark where I hoped he would go as a defensive lineman in the game. He was in the low 40s. Definitely a lot different when you are battling 320 pounders as opposed to guarding running backs and tight ends.”
Parsons’ prowess as a pass rusher led to his 12th overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft by the Cowboys. He primarily lined up as a weakside linebacker in Brent Pry’s 4-3 base scheme at Penn State. With a quick get-off and rare closing speed, Parsons attacked the line of scrimmage with his burst through gaps. His dynamic downhill ability jumped off the tape, as did his power to outmaneuver blockers. Parsons’ vision and agility have materialized at the NFL level in the varying jobs he has filled in Quinn’s defense. The staff is building a foundation on defense around his versatility. The focal point is “pressure.” Whatever form that takes in a game – lining him up over the center, on the outside as a 3-4 linebacker, or on the edge – Parsons will be tasked with getting to the quarterback. He will be a nightmare for offensive coordinators to game plan for.
“We thought he was the best defensive player in the draft, and that’s why we just didn’t cut our throat when we didn’t get a corner,” owner/general manager Jerry Jones stated on 105.3 The Fan. “And he is that because he’s got that so much flexibility in what he can do on defense. Obviously, we’ve seen him do it, just line up in two games. We’ve seen him line up in multiple areas and you’ll see him continue to do that. I would say that pressure is the key.”
