The NFL Draft is where teams can find their next stars. That is what happened to the Dallas Cowboys in 2021 during the first round. Despite trading back with the Philadelphia Eagles, they were still able to land Micah Parsons with the 12th overall pick.
Some people doubted it was the right decision given he was listed as a linebacker. He wasn’t used as a pass rusher at Penn State, so the concerns were somewhat valid in regard to choosing a prospect that doesn’t play a premium position that high in the order.
However, his potential to go after the quarterback was obvious from the beginning. The main use defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has given him lately was almost exclusively that one for how valuable it is. Although an adjustment to Parsons’ training routine to make a position switch got some fans a bit concerned.
Cowboys’ Micah Parsons to make full-time position change
The promise he showed as a rookie rushing the passer with 13 sacks left everyone wondering about his role. Having him as an off-ball linebacker looked like a waste of talent, so in 2022 he make an unofficial position change based on his usage. Parsons lined up on the defensive line in 81.1% of his snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.
His new role appearsto be confirmed, but he probably needs to add some bulk to do that full-time. Last season he had a stellar first half of the season that put him as the favorite to be the Defensive Player of the Year, although his second half allowed Nick Bosa to take home the honor. That’s why his plan for this offseason was to add some weight, something that scared some fans.
Parsons relies on his explosiveness, so being too heavy might be counterproductive. But the Cowboys defender was quick to clear any concern with a tweet updating his real wieght. “Lol people hear bulk and think I’m going from 246 to 270!! If you have seen any of my videos I’m still very slim and I’m putting on good weight! I’m standing at 252 currently! I will not surpass 255 at any time in my career! This is just me putting on more muscle to carry the load!”, he explained.