The Door on the Defensive Player of the Year Is Closing
The coveted Defensive Player of the Year race is always a fun one. With the rise of edge rushers, they have dominated the award. Only three defensive backs have captured the award in the 2010s. Last year’s winner and reigning DPOY, Patrick Surtain, is currently out with an injury, effectively ending his place in the running. The rest of the race is getting interesting, but one particular edge is eyeing his second DPOY.
Myles Garrett
Myles Garrett is a monster on a terrible team. Initially, Garrett requested a trade in the offseason, but the Browns quickly appeased him with a massive contract. Resetting the market for defensive ends, and briefly becoming the highest-paid non-quarterback with a contract worth $160 million over four years with $88 million guaranteed. Garrett is well on his way to Canton, with this year being no exception. The former Aggie has not slowed down at all, currently leading the league in sacks with 15. In Week Eight, he recorded five sacks, and in Week 11, he recorded four sacks. The number of sacks Garrett has and the pressure he generates on his own are wild. Garrett is a physical freak, with an insane get-off time of 0.73. He is a wrecking machine and the heart and soul of the Browns' defense. His impact alone makes him worthy of the DPOY.
Micah Parsons
Micah Parsons is the pinnacle of the linebacker-defensive end hybrid. Primarily spending all of his time on the line, he has the size to move around, not being solely tied down to the line. Parsons is currently leading the league in quarterback pressures with 57, before the Thursday night game, pushing Will Anderson to the top. To pair with eight sacks, Parsons is picking up where he left off in Dallas. After a very public fallout with the Cowboys, the former Niatty Lion was traded to the Packers in one of the biggest trades in recent years. The Packers wasted no time making him the highest-paid player at his position. Already a good defensive unit, Parsons pushed them over the top into elite territory. Parsons faces double teams on the majority of his snaps, but he still gets to the quarterback with an 18% pressure rate and 25 pressures under three seconds. Unfortunately, for the former Cowboy, he plays at the same time as Myles Garrett. I have no doubt that eventually Parsons will capture a DPOY, just not this year.
Nik Bonitto
Nik Bonitto is having himself a year. Like Parsons, Bonitto gets to the quarterback at incredible speed. With nine and a half sacks, Bonitto is collapsing pockets with 53 quarterback pressures, with a 21% pressure rate. Even more impressive is his 28 quick pressures, pressures under three seconds. He is a lock for the Pro Bowl, and an All-Pro is definitely not out of the question. The Broncos’ defense as a whole is the best in the league. They are locking down some of the league's best offenses, which is the biggest knock against Bonitto. He is a monster, no debate, but the defense is a well-oiled machine firing on all cylinders. This slightly lessens his impact, but there is an argument that another player could not fill his role well. For me, this puts Bonitto firmly in third place.
Conclusion
These three players have the best chance of capturing this year's DPOY, with Garrett firmly in the lead. They aren’t the only players that are having impressive seasons; Will Anderson, Brian Burns, Aidan Hutchinson, and Danielle Hunter are playing some of their best football. The pass rush position is loaded with talent, and so many of these players are making their mark. Pass rushers are king once again, and the trend seems to continue with Pat Surtain being an outlier.
