Micah Parsons, a player of immense potential, has been making waves across the globe. From sumo wrestling in Japan to intense beach workouts, his dedication to football and the Dallas Cowboys is sometimes questioned.
This could be why he has not claimed the top spot as the NFL’s best pass rusher, but could this be the fuel needed to add to Parsons’ already relentless drive?
Since being drafted, Micah Parsons has consistently proven to be one of the best defenders in the league.
He excels at getting to the quarterback. His unique ability to play two positions in the defense—linebacker and defensive end—sets him apart.
Despite this, the media has not named him the number-one pass rusher.
Micah Parsons’ Ranking as a Pass Rusher
The top 10 edge rusher rankings for the 2024 season have been revealed, and it’s a significant achievement for Micah Parsons. As team executives, coaches, and scouts voted, he’s secured a place in the top three.
The list of top 10 edge rushers is as follows:
- Myles Garrett (Cleveland Browns)
- T.J. Watt (Pittsburgh Steelers)
- Micah Parsons (Dallas Cowboys)
- Nick Bosa (San Francisco 49ers)
- Maxx Crosby (Las Vegas Raiders)
- Aidan Hutchinson (Detroit Lions)
- Danielle Hunter (Houston Texans)
- Josh Hines-Allen (Jacksonville Jaguars)
- Trey Hendrickson (Cincinnati Bengals)
- Brian Burns (New York Giants)
Looking at the list of top 10 edge rushers, it’s clear that these are all notable players, but the question remains: Does Micah Parsons genuinely belong in the third spot?
Looking at the Numbers
Myles Garrett’s dominance is undeniable, and he did have a better season than Parsons. However, T.J. Watt’s season was inferior.
According to PFF, in 2023, Myles Garrett led the league in pass-rush grade at 94.7%, and his pass-rush win rate was one of the highest in PFF history at 27.3%. Right on his heels was Micah Parsons.
Micah Parsons, with a pass-rush grade of 93.7% and a pass-rush win rate of 24.2%, was second in the league.
These elite numbers underscore how unstoppable Parsons is when getting after the quarterback, making a solid case for his higher ranking.
Nick Bosa secured an impressive third place, boasting a stellar pass-rush grade of 92.3% and a remarkable pass-rush win rate of 21.8%.
T.J. Watt came in fourth on the PFF list with a pass-rush grade of 91.7%. Watt’s pass-rush win rate was 16.2%. That’s lower than Garrett, Parsons, Bosa, and Bryce Huff of the New York Jets, whose win rate was 22.8%.
I understand that T.J. Watt led the league in sacks, but the other statistics also matter if we’re discussing who is the best pure pass rusher.
The ranking alone could be enough to get Micah Parsons to focus entirely on football. If this happens, it will create ample opportunities for both Parsons and the entire defense.
What does Micah Parsons think about the ranking?
Micah Parsons isn’t happy with his ranking, and he made sure to let everyone know about it on social media.
Parsons continued by posting about how many times he was double-teamed.
According to his social media, Micah Parsons seems to lack confidence in the rankings, and he should.
Reasons to disagree with the pass rusher ranking
Micah Parsons said it best in his post on X when he talked about the double teams. As fans, we watched the constant double teams or the extra chip block getting contact.
One missing piece of the research that looked at the best pass rusher should have been more video studies on missed holding calls. Almost every game featured numerous instances where offensive players blatantly held Micah Parsons, but the referees did not throw a flag.
Fans also witnessed coaches pulling Parsons late in blowout games to avoid injury.
We must examine all these factors more carefully.
The rankings for the 2024 season should recognize Micah Parsons as the second-best pass rusher, given his skills and performance. However, this ranking further boosted the lion’s hunger.
If we get the chance to see a more locked-in Micah Parsons, his play might put the entire league on notice and ignite an already elite defense.
Micah Parsons will cement himself as the best defensive player in the NFL, which will undoubtedly trouble opposing offensive coordinators.