Dallas Cowboys: Micah Parsons is a game-changer on defense

Not everyone was happy the Dallas Cowboys used their first-round pick on Micah Parsons. But the rookie is already proving those doubters completely wrong.

Whenever the Dallas Cowboys traded down from the No. 10 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft after Patrick Surtain II and Jaycee Horn came off the board ahead of them and then used that pick on linebacker Micah Parsons, there were many people unhappy. The draft grades recognized the talent but questioned whether or not it was the right decision for Dallas.

It’s only been two games but it already feels safe to say the Cowboys made the right call.

After a strong overall performance as a rotational linebacker in Week 1, the Cowboys were forced to move Parsons to defensive end — a position he hadn’t played since high school — with DeMarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory out against the Chargers in Week 2. And to the shock of some, he spent almost the entire game there. Even more stunning, he dominated.

Parsons finished the week as the second-highest graded pass rusher according to PFF in Week 2. Granted, part of that was an athletic marvel feasting on backup right tackle Storm Norton for LA. But it was an unbelievable performance from a rookie of any kind, much less one not playing the position he was drafted to play.

Micah Parsons needs to be on the field as much as possible for the Dallas Cowboys

For as good as he was on the edge, Parsons doesn’t need to be a full-time defensive end. He was incredible, but that also limits what else he can bring to the table. However, what his Week 2 performance does indicate is that he needs to be on the field for the defense as much as possible.

As mentioned in Week 1, Parsons rotated a bit with the rest of the linebackers. Yes, he played more snaps than any other backer but also played only roughly 75 percent of the snaps. He can’t play 100 percent — even elite athletes need to take a breath from time to time (especially against the Buccaneers). But in a game where the Cowboys ran a ton of nickel sets, the inference was that Parsons could come off the field more often in base defensive packages.

That shouldn’t happen, though. Parsons has already proven through two games that his elite physical traits and instincts on the field are entirely too valuable, particularly for a defense that still has some glaring holes, to be off the field one-quarter of the time.

Moreover, moving Micah Parsons all over the defense simply makes the Dallas defense harder to contend with. If defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has the rookie moving from a linebacker spot to putting him on the edge and giving different looks in both of those alignments, it becomes next to impossible for offenses to figure out how they’re going to stop whatever Parsons is doing.

Cowboys fans were disappointed on draft night because a lot of them believed they needed a game-changing cornerback. They didn’t get a cornerback but, in bringing Micah Parsons to Dallas, they undoubtedly got a game-changer on defense.