When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers line up against the Dallas Cowboys on offense next week, you can bet Tom Brady is going to make sure he knows where Micah Parsons is at all times.
Last year’s Defensive Rookie of the Year, Parsons’ dominant debut campaign also made him a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year.
Heading into their Week 1 matchup in Dallas, Bucs head coach Todd Bowles knows that Parsons can disrupt their offensive game plan in many different ways.
“He definitely qualifies as a game-wrecker,” Bowles said Thursday. “They use him inside, they use him outside, he can rush the passer from anywhere. He can blow up runs, he can cover. He does a lot of things, he causes a lot of problems. They cause a lot of mismatches for him, they get him in position where he’s on the back a lot, but he can beat linemen as well. He’s a true game-wrecker.”
Tampa Bay’s ability to keep Parsons at bay will be made more challenging because of what they’re missing along the offensive line. Pro Bowl left guard Ali Marpet retired this offseason, and Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen was placed on injured reserve this week with a knee injury.
Robert Hainsey is expected to start in Jensen’s place, while rookie second-round pick Luke Goedeke appears to still be the leader in the clubhouse to replace Marpet. Regardless of who lines up in front of Brady, they’ll have their hands full with last year’s top defensive rookie.
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