Cowboys have personnel to make Micah Parsons a chess piece again
Micah Parsons is arguably the best pass rusher in the entire NFL. Since joining the league three seasons ago, he’s routinely ranked at the top in pass rush win rate, pressures, pressure percentage and sacks. The converted Penn State linebacker has been a fixture on the edge since joining the Cowboys and he’s been the key cog of the entire Dallas defense throughout the Dan Quinn administration.
Mike Zimmer, the Cowboys new defensive coordinator, thinks he can get more from him.
In not-so-many words, Zimmer believes he can squeeze more juice from the perennial defensive MVP candidate. Where Dallas’ previous DC saw a fixture on defense, Zimmer sees a chess piece. He sees a player that can moved and weaponized in a way opposing offenses can’t block. Provided he has enough pieces supporting such a move.
“We were sitting up there again this morning talking about other things we can do with [Parsons],” Zimmer said. “He’s such a dynamic player that, I said this the other day: ‘Offenses are always going to know where he’s at.’ They’re going to turn protections to him, have the back help chip no matter what it is. In a lot of the games he played last year that I watched, the offenses had a good scheme where they could get two tight ends on him and all those things.”
Part linebacker and part defensive end, Parsons is best described as an EDGE. Whether in two-point stance or down in a three, Parsons’ job has been typically the same: He is to attack the edge of the line and create havoc in the backfield.
801 of his 911 snaps last season came on the defensive line. Offenses took note of this and adjusted their blocking scheme accordingly. They doubled and even tripled him routinely. Parsons led the league in double-team rate in 2023, and unless something changes with his deployment with Zimmer, opponents are likely to do the same again in 2024.
It’s led to Parsons getting neutralized in some of the biggest games of the year. His five lowest pressure totals of 2023 (four or fewer pressures) came against the 49ers, Giants, Eagles, Commanders and Packers. It’s safe to say in games of that magnitude, Zimmer wants more from his top weapon.
“So, we’re going to obviously move him around, do different things with him,” Zimmer said. “But we’re going to use him in some ways where we’re getting the protection turned the way we want it turned and able to win on the other side. Sometimes we’re going to overload a protection where he gets one-on-one.”
Moving Parsons will allow the Cowboys to dictate the terms themselves rather than their opponents. Whether Zimmer is overloading one side to give Parsons a one-on-one or using Parsons to occupy space so other pass rushers get cleaner shots, Zimmer intends to be strategic with him. By keeping Parsons actively moving behind the line at the snap to prevent blocking schemes from keying on him, Zimmer seems intent on getting more from Parsons.
Zimmer’s famous double A-gap blitz is a way many see Parsons making an impact from an off-ball position. Attacking through the A-gap (both sides of the center) challenges the pocket directly and severely limits what a blocking scheme can do to stop it. It’s difficult to double-team in pass-protection and can create single match-ups with an OC.
When used with a BEAR front (OC and both guards are covered), the double A-gap blitz puts offensive linemen in conflict and can even disrupt a running game. The vulnerably is on the edges where single players are responsible for multiple gaps.
To successfully force single matchups such as this, the Cowboys need to have players capable of 1-gapping and 2-gapping outside. The Cowboys traditionally haven’t had DEs who can 2-gap on the edge but with players like Viliami Fehoko (267 pounds), Chaucey Golston (268 pounds) and Marshawn Kneeland (267 pounds) possibly stepping up into rotational roles in 2024, that might change.
All three are larger players than the men they replace and all three project as solid two-way players able to be trusted against the run. If the Cowboys load up in one area to force one-on-one matchups with Parsons, it’s up other players to take on extra responsibilities to make up for it. On paper, it appears Dallas has that.
Zimmer also has to be strategic how he uses Parsons in traditional EDGE roles. It’s no surprise Parsons was double and triple-teamed on plays DeMarcus Lawrence was on the sideline. Teams were daring Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler to beat them in those situations, and more often than not, they couldn’t. That means either Lawrence stays on the field for all these DE static situations or someone like Kneeland or Sam Williams (2022 draft pick) must step up as a pass rusher to make defenses honest.
Although unproven, the Cowboys appear to have the pieces in place to move Parsons around and make him a pass rushing chess piece for Zimmer’s defense. It will involve different roles and responsibilities for some of Dallas’ defensive linemen, but it will also help prevent offenses from neutralizing Parsons in the biggest games.
Between strategy, support and star power, it really is a group effort for the Cowboys pass rush in 2024.
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