Cowboys’ Micah Parsons Plan may help health, production
When Micah Parsons announced he’d be adding weight in the offseason to better prepare his body for full-time defense end in 2023, Cowboys Nation went ablaze.
Proponents of the move talked about his 19.27% pressure rate getting put to good use. Opponents of the move talked about losing his unique ability to be used as a chess piece. In the end, it was probably much to do about nothing.
By even the loosest standards, Parsons was already a full-time EDGE. In 2022, he only posted 195 traditional off-ball snaps compared to 859 snaps on the line (per PFF). Bulking up in weight had more to do about durability than it did about a change in deployment.
Recent statements by Parsons made at OTAs now indicate he may actually see more time as a moving chess piece and less time as a stagnant DE in 2023.
“I think that’s a special ability that I have and why I want to incorporate it,” Parsons said of moving around the defense. “We’re doing a lot of special things and I don’t want to give a lot away right now. But it’s going to be a really cool year. I’m probably going to play like eight positions this year.”
Suddenly those visions of Parsons with his hand in the dirt every down seem premature and a little off-base.
While Parsons may have been exaggerating with the “eight positions” rhetoric, it speaks to the point he’s at his best when he can’t be planned for.
How many times did the Cowboys see blocking get shifted to his direction? How many times did chip blocks come his way, cut blocks attack his knees, and double teams target him on the EDGE?
The cut blocks in particular seemed to bother the 24-year-old All Pro. After fellow pass–rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux was injured by a legal low block, Parsons took to twitter to voice his displeasure.
“I don’t [know] why cutting is still allowed in the NFL! We grown (expletive) men! Let’s play ball bro! I hate to see that (expletive) man!”
It stands to reason the more Parsons is on the move, the more difficult for offensive blocking schemes to target him specifically.
If Parsons lines up on the EDGE every down he’s easy to plan for. He’s an easy target for RBs and TE to chip and double and he’s easier for offensive coordinators to plan for.
Moving around and attacking A and B gaps from time to time keeps everyone honest and makes it more difficult for offenses to skew blocking assignments his way.
Last time Leonard Fournette played Micah Parsons…
After the game Parsons said: "You hit someone not looking you straight pus**y."pic.twitter.com/pjPeDf8als
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) January 17, 2023
Parsons is clearly someone who doesn’t like to be surprised with an extra blocker and will be well-served to move around and attack from unpredictable places in unpredictable ways.
Being a full-time pass rusher is still the plan, just not doing so from the same location every down.
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