Cowboys confident new DC Matt Eberflus will 'get the most' out of Micah Parsons
![Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons celebrates a sack against the Washington Commanders during the first quarter at AT&T Stadium. Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons celebrates a sack against the Washington Commanders during the first quarter at AT&T Stadium.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_7274,h_4091,x_0,y_165/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/cowboys_country/01jjsfpbfq3q9t73bctm.jpg)
The Dallas Cowboys have one of the most dangerous and versatile defensive players in the NFL in Micah Parsons.
In fact, since being drafted by Dallas in 2021, Parsons has been on a historic pace, sitting with 52.5 sacks in four seasons, with four Pro Bowl selections and three All-Pro nods.
Three of those seasons were spent under former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who now sits as the head coach of the Washington Commanders, while Parsons also thrived under Mike Zimmer this past season.
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Now, a new defensive coordinator will enter the mix for the third season in a row, with the Cowboys hiring Matt Eberflus on Monday. And the Cowboys are confident that Parsons will continue to be a dominant force under his new playcaller.
“Everybody's had their own idea of versatility with [Parsons] and moving him around because he's such a game-wrecker when he's rolling. Getting him into situations where he can have matchups that are favorable [when] everybody's gonna be trying to double, triple," Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said at the Senior Bowl. “If you can move him around and then not know for sure where he's gonna be, then it can be advantageous for everybody on the defense. … We're confident [Eberflus] is going to utilize him and get the most out of him.”
History would disagree with Jones for the most part, however. In his time as the defensive coordinator of the Colts, Ebeflus's defenses finished in the bottom half of the NFL in sacks in three of those four seasons. He also only had one player (Justin Houston in 2019) finish with double digit sacks in a season.
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However, his first stint in Dallas was a bit different, at least initially.
While Eberflus sat as the Cowboys' linebackers coach, DeMarcus Ware had 19.5 sacks under Eberflus, followed by both Ware and Anthony Spencer finishing with double-digit sacks in 2012. Jason Hatcher also had 11 sacks in 2013 from his defensive end position.
All that being said, Eberflus has not had a pass-rushing talent with the versatility of Parsons since becoming a defensive play caller, and if he can prove Jones correct, the Cowboys could rack up the sack numbers in 2025.
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