Window Dressing: Cowboys Parsons’ position isn’t nearly as important as his role

Moving Micah Parsons around doesn’t have to be a bad thing as long as he’s still rushing the passer. | From @ReidDHanson

Micah Parsons has established himself as one of, if not the, best pass rusher(s) on the planet. Posting 13-plus sacks in each of his first three seasons, Parsons is on a historic pace with the Cowboys. It’s hard to believe the two-time First-Team All-Pro, three-time Pro Bowler is still relatively green in his position on the defensive line, and despite massive success already, still has room to grow.

The league leader in pressure rate, Parsons stubbled into his position on the defensive line with the Cowboys. In 2021 the former off-ball linebacker from Penn State was forced into an edge role after Dallas suffered a rash of injuries to their pass-rushing ranks early in his rookie season. Filling in on the edge, Parsons wasted no time carving out a new role on the Cowboys as chief pass-rusher and general game-wrecker extraordinaire.

Since making the move to edge early in his rookie season Parsons has been a fixture on the defensive line for the Cowboys; until now.

Mike Zimmer, the Cowboys first-year defensive coordinator, has plans for Parsons and it doesn’t appear to be setting up at left edge every snap. Zimmer has Parsons on the move. Playing him in multiple spots, including that familiar off-ball role he played with the Nittany Lions.

The idea of Micah Parsons moving to an off-ball linebacker position is understandably met with a certain level of resistance. The value of a linebacker pales in comparison to that of an edge. LBs are often treated as replaceable parts, similar to that of a running back. Compared to other positions on the field, LB is one of the easiest to fill, making it somewhat of a waste for a blue-chip player like Parsons to play. So then why on earth is Zimmer giving Parsons reps at a position that’s so indisputably less impactful?

To keep defenses guessing.

755 of Parsons’ 863 snaps were taken on the defensive line last season and the vast majority of those were taken from the left side. As the most feared player on the Cowboys defense, it should be no surprise opposing coordinators schemed to neutralize Parsons each week. He finished the season as the most double-team edge player in the NFL, which was partially made possible by his consistent presence at left edge each week.

Zimmer has no desire to make things easy on opposing coordinators, as such, he plans to move the young All-Pro across the defense and attack from different places. Parsons proved in limited action at LB last season, he’s amongst the best blitzing the A-gap. The double A-gap blitz just happens to be a staple of Zimmer’s defense and a perfect role for an explosive player like Parsons.

In many ways, not using a player like Parsons in this role would be defensive malfeasance by Zimmer. The position is technically off-ball, but the role is that of a pass-rusher. This is where the real value is found.

Whether Parsons is playing off-ball LB or on-ball edge, he’s going to be rushing the passer more often than not. The role of pass-rusher is what’s important, not where he lines up before the snap. If anything, his movement around the defense will help facilitate that pass-rushing role.

Hemming and hawing about Parsons playing the same position as someone like Damone Clark is ill-founded. Parsons will be playing his own role even if he takes snaps off-ball from time to time.

If the situation arises where Parsons is taking more snaps in a traditional LB role than he is rushing the passer, then it’s an issue that needs to be addressed. But Zimmer isn’t foolish. He knows what he has with Parsons and he’s looking for ways to maximize it. Moving Parsons prevents coordinators from scheming his way and that could pay massive dividends, even if he takes more snaps as an off-ball LB.

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