There are only five players in NFL history who have more sacks in their first two seasons than Micah Parsons.
The Dallas Cowboys’ defensive wunderkind has accumulated 26.5 sacks in a span of 33 regular season games.
Here are the five ahead of him:
- Aldon Smith, 33.5
- Reggie White, 31.0
- Von Miller, 30.0
- Derrick Thomas 30.0
- Shawne Merriman, 27.0
Just behind Micah with 26.0 are both J.J. Watt and Jevon “The Freak” Kearse.
Micah is looking to make an even bigger leap (if you can imagine that) in year three.
He should be your favorite analyst’s top choice for NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors.
According to the latest betting odds provided by @BetMGM, Parsons is, in fact, the favorite to win with +650 odds to open the season.
Here are the reasons why I believe year three for Micah will end with him accepting the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award.
Most Players Win the Award Early in Their Career
When it comes to winning individual accolades like DPOY, 11 out of the last 15 winners were pass rushers.
Aside from a couple of freak exceptions like J.J. Watt and Aaron Donald, pass rushers usually only win the award early in their careers.
This can be because of a few variables, but mainly because rushing the passer requires burst off of the line.
Let’s not kid ourselves. Even for professional athletes, that burst diminishes with age.
Unless the player works hard on their craft outside of just the piss and vinegar approach that comes with youth, they become remarkably less efficient as the years pass.
Let’s take a look at how the players mentioned above fared as far as this theory is concerned.
Aldon Smith
Aldon Smith racked up 33.5 sacks in his first two seasons, highlighted by 19.5 sacks in year two.
Unfortunately, Smith finished second in DPOY voting that season behind Terrell Suggs of the Baltimore Ravens.
He never sniffed another DPOY award.
The sad part is it wasn’t necessarily because of diminishing skills.
Smith is a victim of substance abuse, and amassed only 19.0 sacks for the rest of his career.
Reggie White
Reggie White followed up his stellar two year start with the best two seasons of his career in years three and four.
The Minister racked up a career high 21.0 sacks in his third season, winning him DPOY honors.
In year four, he accumulated 18.0 sacks, but failed to win the award in back to back seasons.
Chicago’s Mike Singletary took home the honors that season.
If you exclude the 2000 season in which White returned from retirement for one last hurrah with the Carolina Panthers, he recorded double digit sacks in 10 of 12 seasons.
White would again win DPOY in the 1998 season with 16.0 sacks as a member of the Green Bay Packers.
Those 16.0 sacks were the most since his previous DPOY season in 1987.
Von Miller
Von Miller is another on this list who has never won a DPOY award.
He has finished second twice, and aside from an injury shortened 2013 season, recorded double digit sacks in each of his first seven seasons.
Year two was the big leap for Miller with 18.5 sacks, finishing behind J.J. Watt in DPOY voting.
Derrick Thomas
The late Derrick Thomas accumulated 30.0 sacks in his first two seasons.
Although he also never won a DPOY award, he did finish second to Buffalo Bills DE Bruce Smith in 1990 after recording 20.0 sacks.
Year two was Thomas’ best season in the league. I’m sensing a pattern here.
Shawne Merriman
After 10.0 sacks for Merriman in his rookie season, he then finished his second year with 17.0 sacks in only 12 games played.
Extrapolate that over a 16 game season, and Merriman likely breaks the single season sack record with 23.0 sacks.
Injuries took a toll on Merriman, but his second season remained the best of his shortened career.
J.J. Watt
After only 5.5 sacks his rookie year, Watt exploded onto the NFL scene with 20.5 sacks in his second season, making him the DPOY winner.
Although he would match those 20.5 sacks two years later, along with winning the DPOY award twice more, that second season remained his best.
Micah Has Yet to be Unleashed
I know I’m harping on the fact that every player mentioned above had their best season in year two.
You’re probably thinking to yourself, “But Mario, Micah is headed into his third season in the league.”
Allow me to explain.
Parsons was drafted in 2021 as an off ball linebacker that didn’t show his pass rushing traits until he was forced into action due to injury along the defensive line.
Although he lined up primarily on the edge of the formation in 2022, he was still listed as a linebacker, and used as a chess piece all over the formation.
The move to EDGE on a nearly full time basis took a toll on his body last season.
This offseason, Micah added mass to his frame to better withstand the rigors of the NFL season versus 300+ pound offensive tackles.
Technically, this is Micah’s second season as a designated full time pass rusher, so I’m giving him a mulligan for his rookie year.
The pads just got put on today as I’m writing this, but several analysts covering the team have already reported that Micah looks unstoppable.
If you need visual proof, here is Parsons casually tossing aside 8x Pro Bowl and 2x All-Pro Tyron Smith.
Dear gawd, @MicahhParsons11 pic.twitter.com/oIpoMou29u
— Bobby Belt (@BobbyBeltTX) July 31, 2023
He Has a Strong Supporting Cast
Sometimes a generational player comes along who is a “diamond surrounded by trash” in the famous words of Emmitt Smith before leaving to Arizona.
Micah is fortunate enough to be on a defense coordinated by the legendary Dan Quinn.
Quinn has surrounded Micah with playmakers on the defense at all levels, and especially along the defensive line.
Star pass rushers are fortunate if they have one other decent player to help take attention away from them.
Well, Micah has several.
DeMarcus Lawrence, Dante Fowler, Sam Williams, and Dorance Armstrong lead that pack.
I’m certain that Micah will be placed in favorable matchups with offenses having to also deal with the other players mentioned on a weekly basis.
Aside from the reasons we just covered, the main reason Micah Parsons should be accepting the DPOY award after the end of the 2023 season is simple.
He’s just an amazing, generational talent who complements his physical traits with an excellent work ethic and football mind.
After all, football is 90% mental and 10% physical.
Just be ready to see Micah put it all together in 2023 to be named the best defensive player in the NFL.
