Cowboys' Micah Parsons Says DeMarcus Lawrence Will Never Lead Team in Sacks Again

After taking the NFL by storm last season, Micah Parsons intends to be a dominant force on the Dallas Cowboys defense for years to come.

DeMarcus Lawrence joked to reporters earlier this week that he "let a rookie show me up last year" and intends to reclaim the title as the Cowboys sack leader in 2022.

In response to Lawrence's comments, Parsons told reporters he doesn't plan on giving up his crown anytime soon.

"It's healthy for the locker room," Parsons said. "I want D-Law to step up. I want D-Law to be who he is. I'm not taking that away from him. But sorry to tell him, he's never getting that back. I want him to get all the enjoyment that he possibly can, feed his head so he can be a 10-sack guy, great. But if 10's the number, I'm going for 20. You've just got to go out there and compete. It's just going to be a race to the quarterback, like it or not. I'm excited."

Looking back at rumors leading up to the 2021 NFL draft, Parsons was at best the No. 3 option for the Cowboys in the first round.

Sports Illustrated's Mike Fisher reported they were leaning toward South Carolina cornerback Jaycee Horn, but would be "ecstatic" if they got Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain II. Both players were off the board by the time Dallas made its first pick at No. 10.

The Cowboys pivoted by trading down two spots and selecting Parsons. The 23-year-old finished with 30 quarterback hits, 20 tackles for loss and 13 sacks in 16 starts. He was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting.

Lawrence was limited to just seven games last season because of a foot injury that required surgery. The two-time Pro Bowler had three sacks, his fewest in a single season since 2016 (one).

If the Cowboys can get the peak version of Parsons and Lawrence in 2022, their defense could be one of the best units in the NFL. They will likely need both players to be at the top of their game after Randy Gregory left to sign with the Denver Broncos in free agency.