OXNARD, Calif. — It seems crazy to think that Micah Parsons could raise his game even higher, but given the growth he showed last year, it’s just as imaginable to assume that he can do it again.
And it is that anything is possible considering that the Cowboys led the NFL in turnovers in the last two seasons, both under the direction of Dan Quinn as defensive coordinator, and were in the top five in several other categories.
So where can they go from here?
“What do I think this defense can be like? I think we can keep up with the great 49ers defense,” the two-time first-team All-Pro said after Friday’s walkthrough at training camp in Oxnard. “I think we can be up there with the Ray Lewis defense. I think we can be up there with the Legion of Boom.”
Is it a coincidence that Parsons mentions the famous defensive LOB that was developed and directed by Quinn? Maybe not, especially considering the big defensive change that’s occurred since Quinn arrived in 2021 following the split from the Mike Nolan experiment.
The addition of Stephon Gilmore via trade and the team’s decision to use a first-round pick in Mazi Smith (a position they haven’t drafted in decades with a Day 1 pick) are further evidence of how committed they’ve been. the Cowboys with Quinn’s plan.
And Parsons, a key part of that formula, is completely ecstatic.
“The talent that we have, the veterans and the youngsters, the experience that we all have,” the two-time Pro Bowler said, pausing to reflect on how stacked the roster currently is. “Since my rookie year, we’ve been thrown into the fire. And we got experience from tough games, playoff-level games, and I don’t think there’s a guy on our team who doesn’t have postseason experience other than the guys that just came up.
“We have some elite guys with elite talent, and some have been in the [Super] Bowl or who have been in playoff runs. I think we have a great opportunity.”
Having seen their season end in 2022 despite allowing just 19 points to the San Francisco 49ers, a week after eliminating and ultimately retiring Tom Brady, Parsons and the defense have proven they are Super Bowl worthy; and that was before Gilmore and Davis came along.
If all goes according to the game, they could enter a completely different stratosphere.
“Man, I’m ready to take everybody in deep water,” said the 2021 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. ready to go out in deep water.In terms of my conditioning and where I am, and how I determined how I was going to improve this year, I think it’s through the roof.
“I just hope everyone is ready. You have to see if they can swim. I’ll take them to an island. … “I invest in how I can improve, not in the things I already do well.
“I invest in my weaknesses. I want to turn them into strengths.”
As far as the addition of Gilmore is concerned, he has instantly become a complement not only to Trevon Diggs in the corner room, but also to a Butkus Award winner like Parsons, who will be allowed to play freely.
“I told Gilly, ‘Bro, you’re going to get me three more sacks,'” Parsons said. “I just know what kind of player he is, the kind of guy these young guys are trying to be like. I’m excited. Gilly [luego] he told me, after only two days of practice, ‘Man, I’ve never seen the ball go out that fast.’
“So I said, ‘Bro, that thing is going to come out hot. I’m telling you. Or they’re done. It’s over and you won’t have to worry about it, we’re off the field. It’s that kind of feedback and intensity that we give each other to each other. We just want to see everyone win. There will be times when I’ll say, ‘Bro, you can sit on this.’
“That’s just because I know I’m about to beat this guy, that this guy doesn’t stand a chance. … That defensive backs guy? I’ve never had anything like that in my career. Never.”
2023-07-28 21:53:54
#defense #live #Legion #Boom
