NFC East EDGE: Where Do Micah Parsons-Led Cowboys Rank?
The Dallas Cowboys have one of the NFL's best pass rush units, boasting Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, Dante Fowler, Dorance Armstrong and Sam Williams and more as part of the arsenal.
Read that again. That room seems "elite'' to us. And there is performance that bears it out. And yet ... Fansided says it's not even the best in the NFC East. The outlet labeled Dallas as the division's No. 2 pass-rush team, just behind Philadelphia.
"In most divisions, the Cowboys would have come out on top in 2022 but that wasn't the case thanks to the Philadelphia Eagles leading the league in sacks. And while they lost Javon Hargrave and the Cowboys were somehow able to retain their top defensive free agents — including Dante Fowler — Dallas still can't claim the top spot," Fansided wrote.
But ... how? Parsons has 26.5 sacks in his first two years and is one of the NFL's best overall players. Armstrong notched 8.5 sacks last season, and both Fowler and Lawrence notched six.
Then there's the Williams conversation. He had four sacks while fighting for snaps in such a loaded room during his rookie campaign, and he's projected to be one of this season's breakout stars.
What's more, we haven't even mentioned all of the contributors the Cowboys will throw at opposing teams this fall.
"For good measure, Dallas had five sacks from safety Donovan Wilson and four from defensive tackle Osa Odighuzuwa," Fansided concluded. "They're deep and can explode in a hurry but they still come in just behind the frustrating Philadelphia Eagles."
Sure, the Eagles led the league in sacks by a wide margin last season, but the loss of Hargrave and Dallas' big offseason has to show for something. We won't be surprised if the Cowboys make the jump in 2023. ... though it is saying something that Dallas is "elite'' in this department - and maybe only the second most "elite'' in the division.
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