Micah Parsons leads Cowboys on ESPN's top 100 NFL ranking

The Dallas Cowboys’ season opener against the Giants on Sept. 10 is rapidly approaching and the team set Super Bowl expectations on itself in training camp.
Can’t get to the big one without stars, and the Cowboys have plenty of upper-tier talent compared to their peers. ESPN went ahead and made predictions for the best players in the league, based on a panel of dozens of its experts. The list was based on 2023 expectations rather than past accolades.
The Cowboys had five players on the list, and it differed from the NFL Top 100 that was released in July. Some of the Cowboys’ players who made the NFL Top 100 also made ESPN’s list, but the rankings were different in most cases.
Here’s a look at the five players on ESPN’s list, and what was said about each.
Parsons is primed for a Defensive Player of the Year season after finishing runner-up in his first two years in the league. He’s quickly become one of the Cowboys’ most important and versatile stars. And he keeps getting better.
“I thought coming back from the offseason, Micah’s skill is now, in a lot of things, really elevated,” defensive coordinator Dan Quinn said earlier in August. “So he was born with some really good talent in a lot of spots and he works so hard on some of the skills. And I think we should all expect to see some jumps from him in this season.”
Parsons is one of three players with at least 13 sacks in his first two seasons in the NFL since individual sacks became an official stat in 1982. The other two were Aldon Smith and Reggie White.
NFL Top 100: 9
31. Zack Martin
Martin had roughly $8.5 million added to the remainder of his contract with two years left in the deal this offseason. That was the result of a holdout that cost Martin a hefty amount of cash but earned him his reworked contract. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott went to bat for Martin during the holdout, and for good reason. Martin keeps Prescott protected.
He finished the 2022 season with the third-highest pass block win rate among guards.
“It was definitely difficult,” Martin said of holding out. “I mean, shoot, if you would have asked me a few years ago if I’d ever be a holdout guy, I’d probably say no. That’s what I felt it had to come down to, to reach some of my goals that I was looking for, and luckily it worked out there.”
NFL Top 100: 68
33. CeeDee Lamb
The Cowboys enter their second year with Lamb as their WR1, but he should have better help this season. Dallas picked up Brandin Cooks, Michael Gallup should be healthier and sophomore Jalen Tolbert is improved. More importantly, Lamb has improved his receptions, yards and touchdowns in every season as a pro, leading to his 2022 numbers: 107 catches, 1,359 yards and nine touchdowns.
In a July interview with 105.3 The Fan, Lamb said Prescott would have more control over the offense than ever. That could mean big things for Lamb.
“This is going on my fourth year, but the past three, this is the most in control of the offense that I’ve seen Dak. Obviously he can make a lot more changes, but going into the line of scrimmage, us as receivers, we know the other two or three options that he has to change to. With that, I feel like that opens up the game, that opens up Dak’s mind and he doesn’t feel so closed off — predicated to that one play that’s being called.”
NFL Top 100: 34
38. Dak Prescott
Although Prescott didn’t see any action in Dallas’ preseason games, he seems ready to lead the team’s new Texas Coast offense. His brief stint as offensive play caller last week could support that claim.
The quarterback is one of Dallas’ most experienced players heading into the 2023 campaign. The new season will be his eighth in Dallas, helping him become the league’s longest-tenured signal caller. One of the discussions surrounding Prescott this offseason focused on the number of interceptions he threw in 2022-23. He tied with Houston’s Davis Mills for the league lead with 15.
Prescott seems confident about the direction Dallas’ new offense is taking.
“I feel great about where we are,” he said. “Much different than last year. I think I said it all offseason, all spring long, even in training camp, we’re in a much better place than we were, we are right now, than we were this time last year with the installations, the details of everything. Not only that but for myself, getting all of the reps, not having to miss time and practicing against our guys.”
Prescott finished last season with 2,860 passing yards and 23 touchdowns.
NFL Top 100: 56
100. Trevon Diggs
Along with Parsons, Diggs has served as one of the Cowboys’ top defensive weapons in the last few seasons.
This offseason, the Cowboys made sure the cornerback would remain in Dallas for the foreseeable future by giving him a five-year, $97 million extension. In his first three NFL seasons, Diggs accumulated two Pro Bowl appearances and 17 interceptions.
After signing his new deal, Diggs said the lucrative money removes some of the pressure on him and allows him to focus on football and what he does best.
“My main goal is to stay consistent and keep building on my career and try to put together a good resume where at the end of the day I’ll go down as one of the best DBs to play the game.’’
NFL Top 100: 60