Green Bay Packers’ star edge-rusher Micah Parsons has been named the NFC’s Defensive Player of the Month for the month of October. Believe it or not, it’s only the second time he’s won that award in his career, with the last time coming in September 2023 as a member of the Dallas Cowboys.

Parsons has been excellent for the Packers since General Manager Brian Gutekunst traded two first-round picks and Kenny Clark to Dallas in exchange for the generational defender. His presence was felt earlier in Green Bay’s first few games, but he was on a “pitch count” and was still getting used to defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley’s system.

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Parsons is now fully acclimated to the defense and “full-go” on each and every single snap. That was extremely evident in October, when he notched nine tackles, six quarterback hits and four sacks.

“He’s been outstanding,” Head Coach Matt LaFleur said, according to the team website. “All those guys are kind of feeding off one another. Certainly he gets a lot of attention in regards to protections and a lot of times he’s defeating a chip. Then, they might even slide to him, which opens up opportunities for everybody else.”

What may not be as evident is how the Packers have been using Parsons. He’s not just lining up in a five or seven-technique off the edge and using his speed to get after quarterbacks. There has been some of that, of course, but defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley and defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington have been creative in the ways in which they’ve used the dynamic athlete.

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Sometimes he is in at the traditional defensive end spot, but other times the Packers have lined him up inside as a one-technique much like you’d see from an “old school” nose tackle back in the 90s. At other times, they’ve had Parsons play as a stand-up linebacker who will come inside and blitz in through the A or B gaps.

“I do think Haf’s done a really good job and D.C.of trying to get creative in terms of you’ve seen him rush inside, outside. It does put a little bit of stress on the offense in regard to you’re not quite sure where he’s going to line up,” LaFleur said.

Basically, if the Packers were playing Parsons as a traditional defensive end, offenses would quickly be able to figure out how to double-team him and slide protections over his way. He’d be getting tight ends or running backs chipping him on every play, which would ultimately make his life harder.

By moving him around, though, the Packers are making it hard for offenses to predetermine their protection schemes. If they do guess right or can make quick adjustments at the line of scrimmage, Parsons’ presence alone has opened up opportunities for other players.

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Just look at Rashan Gary, who is on track for a career year with 7.5 sacks in seven games. He’s been the most direct beneficiary of Parsons being on the defense, but he’s far from the only one.

If Parsons keeps up this pace, NFC Player of the Month won’t be the only hardware he’ll collect. As it stands, he should be considered the favorite to win the NFC’s Defensive Player of the Year award.