Rams King Dethroned? Cowboys Micah Parsons Over Aaron Donald in DPOY Odds
The NFL has gotten so used to the brilliance of Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, that it might be becoming easier to overlook him. A 5-12 finish last season for the defending champs might certainly aid in fans' forgetfulness.
Of course, "forgetfulness" is something that should be taken lightly when it comes to Donald. He still remains one of the NFL's most feared players and doesn't appear to be slowing it down as LA tries to make it back to the postseason,
But the competition is steep and younger.
Per SI Sportsbook's betting odds for the winner of the Defensive Player of the Year, Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons is running away from most of the competition with the best odds (+600) to win the award.
Other notable names after Parsons include Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (+650), Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt (+700), San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa (+900), Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (+1100) and New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner (+1200).
Meanwhile, Donald, the three-time DPOY winner himself, is tied for the seventh-best odds (+1800) with Carolina Panthers linebacker Brian Burns.
Almost any of the league's other elite defensive players would give anything to be in the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year. This has become a staple for Donald, but it appears that the talented and youthful stars of today are drawing more of the attention for bettors.
It's certainly understandable, as Donald, 32, is getting up there in age and has teased retirement countless times over the past year. It's always going to be tough to win DPOY when no one is quiet when you could suddenly call it quits or if the production will hold up.
This past season, Donald recorded 49 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 11 quarterback hits, and five sacks, nearly half of his production of 2021, when he had 84 tackles, 12.5 sacks, 19 tackles for loss, and 26 quarterback hits.
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