The Dallas Cowboys had one of the worst defenses in the NFL in 2020. However, they've had one of the best since then, and one man is the biggest reason why.

When Micah Parsons was drafted by the Cowboys, many wondered how they would use him. Well, Dan Quinn has found a way to utilize the talents of Parsons as a dominant sideline-to-sideline linebacker and combined them with his elite pass-rushing ability off the edge. 

It's helped the Cowboys' defense turn into one of the best when it comes to getting after the quarterback and the top unit as far as turnovers the last two years. Pro Football Focus feels the impact of Parsons is so great that he was named the best player in the NFL under the age of 25.

Parsons followed up a stellar rookie season with yet another great year as a pass rusher. His 92.0 pass-rush grade and 23.4% pass-rush win percentage in 2022 were just slightly behind his 93.0 pass-rush grade and 24.8% pass-rush win percentage from the previous season, but he maintained those high numbers while playing 281 more pass-rush snaps in 2022. He’s already one of the most impactful players in the league, young or old.

Parsons has been busy this offseason adding muscle mass to deal with the physicality of playing primarily as an edge rusher. Reports surfaced that Parsons was being moved to the edge permanently, but Quinn quickly shot that notion down.

“He’s a pass-rushing linebacker," Quinn said. "If you ever need position changes, come to me. What I think he was probably trying to say is, ‘I’m really emphasizing some pass rush into my offseason.’”

If it isn't broken don't fix it seems to be the motto when it comes to how Parsons is used, and it should remain that way. 

With the attention that Parsons draws, Quinn can dial up many different looks because other guys will have more one-on-one opportunities up front which leads to a shorter amount of time quarterbacks have to get rid of the ball. Guys like DeMarcus Lawrence, Sam Williams, Dante Fowler, and Dorance providing excellent edge play allows Quinn to disguise his looks and use Parsons on the second level as well and give him a break from banging against 300-pound linemen every play. 

When it comes to the best defensive players in the NFL, the argument can be made that Parsons stands alone.