Cowboys' Parsons aiming for impact, not just sacks

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons used to set sack goals for himself, but he's now aiming to impact the game in different ways on a snap-to-snap basis.

"I'm kinda off the sack wave. I'm onto the impact wave," Parsons said Thursday, according to Clarence E. Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "You see (Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron) Donald. He can have 12 sacks, but the impact he makes is so dominant. You can tell.

"I really just want to be dominant. And then you see guys who have 16-to-17 sacks, but they're not considered a guy. I want to be a guy, not one of the guys. You feel me? ... I'm not chasing for something. I'm trying to achieve and be greater than someone who is chasing."

The Penn State product has 26.5 sacks, 33 tackles for loss, 56 quarterback hits, six pass breakups, six forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and a touchdown through two NFL seasons.

"Just playing chess, just being able to move around," Parsons said. "I think that's the special ability that I have. We're doing a lot of special things. I don't want to give a lot away right now. But it's gonna be a really cool year. I'm probably gonna spend (time at) like eight positions this year."

Dallas has experimented with moving Parsons around a bit already. The 24-year-old has logged 1,112 snaps on the defensive line, 669 snaps as a box linebacker, 27 snaps in the slot, and even one snap as a safety and 10 snaps as a corner through his first two campaigns, according to PFF.

"Anything that's in front seven and some coverage. Yeah, I'm telling you I'm gonna do it. It's gonna be a year to remember for sure."

Parsons has established himself as one of the NFL's premier young defenders. He took home Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2021, has earned consecutive Pro Bowl nods, been named first-team All-Pro twice, and finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting in back-to-back years.