While it still seems like a long shot, the Carolina Panthers have a fighting chance to land Micah Parsons. The Dallas Cowboys star requested his release, one the team doesn’t plan on granting.
Even though that’s how they currently feel, plans can change on an instant. Just over a year ago, Parsons called himself a “for-lifer” in Dallas. The landscape of the NFL is constantly changing, with numerous top stars across the league wanting out.
Micah Parsons to the Carolina Panthers has +2200 Odds, According to DraftKings Sportsbook
It comes as no surprise that the Cowboys have the highest odds to keep Parsons. Fox Sports: NFL posted a graphic with the Cowboys being the No. 1 team at -300. They’re the only team with the odds in their favor.
From there, the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots have +1000 odds. Both teams are in entirely different situations. The Eagles are the reigning Super Bowl Champions, but clearly will do whatever it takes to win another. The Patriots defense has long been praised, but this would be a game-changing acquisition.
Only four other teams have the odds in their favor more than the Panthers. Clocking in at +2200, the Los Angeles Chargers, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, and Los Angeles Rams all have odds below +2000.
Teams 4-7 all find themselves on the west coast. Parsons graduated from Penn State, and has spent his entire NFL career at AT&T Stadium. There’s a vast difference between playing there or somewhere on the west coast compared to playing for the Patriots or Panthers.
The list is rounded out with the New York Jets and Las Vegas Raiders having +2500 odds each. Fans were left stunned by these betting odds as it would be hard to imagine a scenario where Parsons is traded to a division rival.
Assessing the Panthers Defense
ESPN’s Ben Solak ranked the Panthers coaching staff No. 24 in the league. Surprisingly, that’s three spots up from last season. He had rave reviews for Dave Canales and Brad Idzik for benching Bryce Young.
Ejiro Evero had his work cut out for him last season, but Solak knows the Panthers have to acknowledge the elephant in the room. They were not only dead last in points per drive allowed, but also success rate and EPA per play.
“I’ve long been an Ejiro Evero fan, and the Panthers had plenty of defensive injuries last season, but I still have to dock some points for that dreadful showing,” Solak said.
He added, “The good news? Tons of reinforcements have arrived, both via free agency and the draft. Evero actually has tools to work with this time around.”
Solak referred to David Newton’s article which talked about their defensive upgrades. No one expects the Panthers to immediately turn things around and have a Top 10 defense, but they did add four projected starters.
Parsons could join a team that acquired Tershawn Wharton, Bobby Brown III, Tre’von Moehrig, and Christian Rozeboom. Those names join a defense that features Jaycee Horn, who was named the league’s No. 7 cornerback.
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