Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons has established himself as one of the best defensive players in football, but could he seriously contend for the MVP award in 2024?
The last defender to win MVP was New York Giants legend Lawrence Taylor four decades ago, but Judy Battista of NFL.com thinks that Parsons can break the mold.
While Battista acknowledges that Parsons is much more likely to win the Defensive Player of the Year award (something he has yet to accomplish), she thinks he is disruptive enough to actually represent a dark horse in the NFL MVP race.
Parsons, who played his collegiate football at Penn State, was selected by the Cowboys with the 12th overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft.
It didn’t take Parsons long to begin dominating, as he racked up 84 tackles, 13 sacks and three forced fumbles during his rookie campaign. He followed that up by registering 65 tackles, 13.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and a defensive touchdown in 2022, and this past season, the 25-year-old rattled off 64 stops and 14 sacks.
Parsons has made the Pro Bowl in all three of his NFL campaigns and has also earned a couple of First-Team All-Pro selections. Additionally, he has ranked in the top three of Defensive Player of the Year voting each season, including a pair of top-two finishes.
Are the Cowboys Super Bowl contenders in 2024?
While Parsons would surely love to win an MVP award, his biggest concern is (hopefully) whether or not the Cowboys are legitimate Super Bowl contenders heading into 2024.
Dallas has logged three straight 12-win seasons, but it hasn’t resulted in much postseason success, as the Cowboys have amassed just one playoff win throughout that span.
Dallas also has not had a very productive offseason, as it has not made any truly significant additions to its roster outside of linebacker Eric Kendricks. As a matter of fact, it has actually lost some key pieces.
Still, it’s hard to look at the Cowboys’ roster and dismiss them entirely.
Dallas still boasts a top-10 quarterback in Dak Prescott, plus an elite wide receiver in CeeDee Lamb. The defense should be terrific yet again and is getting back top-flight cornerback Trevon Diggs, who missed just about all of last season due to a torn ACL.
Micah Parsons and the Cowboys may not be as talented as the San Francisco 49ers, but they are absolutely still a threat in the NFC.
