Media by Associated Press – FILE – San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa (97) rushes during the team’s NFL football game against the Washington Commanders, Dec.24, 2022, in Santa Clara, Calif. Bosa, Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones and Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons are the finalists for AP Defensive Player of the Year. (AP Photo/Scot Tucker, File)
The race for Defensive Player of the Year is always an interesting one. Generally, defensive linemen have dominated the award over the past ten years. However, a few other players have snuck into the voting over the past few years.
Micah Parsons, LB, Dallas Cowboys
The Penn State product was a significant reason for the Cowboys’ defensive success last season. Parsons has shown he wouldn’t suffer through a sophomore slump during his second season last year. During Parsons’ first two seasons in the league, he has piled up 26.5 sacks.
Last season, Parsons finished with 13.5 sacks and knocked down three passes. Parsons also recorded six tackles and 13.5 sacks. Dallas finished second in the NFC East last season and should contend for the title this year. If the Cowboys are successful in the standings once again, Parsons should be a strong contender for the title.
Aaron Donald, DT, Los Angeles Rams
The Rams as a whole cratered in 2022. For the first time in Donald’s career, he played fewer than 14 games in the season for the first time since 2017. He only finished with five sacks and seemed to suffer with the team’s decline. Donald has won Defensive Player of the Year three times.
However, Donald has a long track record of success throughout his career. Donald has recorded ten or more sacks in six of his first nine seasons. Donald will always be in the conversations due to his playmaking ability he has.
Donald still draws a lot of attention from opposing blocking schemes and could be back to his usual self next season. The Rams have a lot of questions moving forward, but if their stars come back healthy, they could be competitive.
Nick Bosa, DE, San Francisco 49ers
Bosa could be the next in a line of defensive linemen who win multiple awards. He has really stepped up his game over the past two seasons. In 2022, Bosa finished with a game-high 18.5 sacks and forced two fumbles. Over the past ten seasons, Donald and J.J. Watt, who also won three times, have collected a number of trophies in a row.
Bosa has shown his durability over the past two seasons. In 2021, Bosa recorded 15.5 sacks and forced four fumbles. During his four years in the NFL, Bosa has played at least 16 games in a season three of four years.
T.J. Watt, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Despite the NFL’s trend of being an offensive-oriented league, Pittsburgh has still focused itself on winning with defense first. Watt is the engine that makes the Steelers go. When he didn’t play for Pittsburgh last season, the defense wasn’t the same.
Watt has had four double-digit sack seasons during his first six years in the NFL. HE is also a solid playmaker, intercepting two passes and forcing a fumble last season. Three times in Watt’s first six seasons, he has forced five or more fumbles.
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