Micah Parsons: 'I'll Play 8 Different Positions' in 'Special' Cowboys Defense
FRISCO - Nobody in the Dallas Cowboys locker room makes bold statements quite like Micah Parsons makes bold statements. And at this week's OTAs here inside The Star, he's done it again ... bold and colorful and probably rather frightening for NFL defenses.
“We’re doing a lot of special things,'' Parsons said of his positional usage in the planned 2023 defense. "I don’t want to give a lot away right now, but it’s going to be a really cool year. I’m probably going to play like eight positions this year!''
Eight positions? That sounds slightly hyperbolic ... though in his first two NFL seasons the odds-on favorite to win the Defensive Player of the Year award has played all the linebacker spots, has played defensive end, has worked like a safety and has even lined up at cornerback.
So yeah, in a way, maybe eight positions. But more important than the number is the philosophy. As head coach Mike McCarthy said, “It’s important for us to stay focused on creating as many of those opportunities for him. I think that’s the whole conversation of where he’s going to line up. From an offensive perspective when you line up a premier player up in the same spot, it’s easier to apply help there.''
Again, Micah's versatility is nothing new. As a rookie, the "Lion-backer'' was billed as a linebacker but was aligned as a defensive lineman 40 percent of the time. Last year that number jumped to 80 percent. And either way, the overall impact? The 12th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft dominated, as the two-time All-Pro has registered 26.5 sacks, good for the sixth-most in the league.
But moving him creates mystery for the opposing offense ... and opportunities for upfront playmakers like DeMarcus Lawrence, Sam Williams, Dante Fowler, Dorance Armstrong, Osa Odighizuwa and even draftee Mazi Smith ... and for a ball-hawking secondary led by cornerbacks Trevon Diggs and Stephon Gilmore.
Parsons said that he is "off the sack wave," meaning not focusing just on the individual numbers. ... and McCarthy suggested that doing so is part of Micah reaching yet another level of "elite.''
"Impact players not only affect the game with their individual production," Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said. "But it's really being aware of where (Parsons) is that will definitely create opportunities for other guys."
And where is Micah Parsons? Maybe any one of eight places in the Dallas defense.
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