Is it time to move Micah Parsons off the edge and play him off the ball? The sack production isn't off the charts three games in, so why not try to address the run defense since it seems to be the bigger problem at this point? – Rob Riggieri/Rutland, MA
Nick: You make a sound point for sure. But here's the problem – and the Cowboys are no different than really any other team in this thinking – but go back to NFL Draft prep. If you've got a player who is a dominant pass-rusher and someone who is a really good linebacker, who is getting picked? We all know it's the edge rusher every time. And so if you move Parsons to linebacker, who's rushing the passer? That was a problem in the game on Sunday and Parsons is constantly getting doubled, chipped and everything else. I think the difference in Parsons playing outside linebacker and Marshawn Kneeland playing defensive end, would actually be a little worse than Parsons and Overshown at linebacker or even Damone Clark. The amount of pressure Parsons can create is really hard to match. I would rather Mike Zimmer figure out a plan to stop the run in other ways than to move him to a position where I think he'd be really good, but probably not elite.
Kurt: We heard a lot of talk in the offseason about Parsons lining up all over the field and truly becoming a "quiet assassin" in Mike Zimmer's defense. I'm not sure we've necessarily seen that as he's still primarily a pass rusher. So could he help the run defense more if he was playing as a linebacker? Probably. Because he's one of the best defenders in the game, Parsons would likely make an impact in whatever he's asked to do. The problem, though, is if he's not rushing the passer, who is? He currently ranks among league leaders in pressures, quarterback hits and quarterback hurries. The only area in which he's not ranked high is in sacks, which may be only a matter of time. And all this comes despite constantly facing double-teams, chips and a general maze of blockers. Now, of course, Parsons hasn't really been able to use his pass-rushing skills much these last two games as the Saints threw only 16 times and the Ravens just 15. Opponents have taken advantage of a leaky run defense to grab early leads and wear down the defense, so yes, maybe having Parsons line up more often as a linebacker would help in that regard and possibly save him some wear and tear. But again, he may just be too valuable up front. Where he plays and when he plays there is a tough balance, and it's one the Cowboys seemingly haven't quite figured out yet.
