The Dallas Cowboys remain as one of the most legitimate contending teams in the NFL, with the team boasting solid to incredible depth at almost every position. One trendy topic regarding the Cowboys as of late was their trade for quarterback Trey Lance, a former first-rounder who should help push QB1 Dak Prescott to be the best version of himself. But something that should not be lost in the shuffle is the Cowboys' defense — especially when many pundits believe that they have all the makings of putting up the league's most stifling effort in the upcoming season.

At the heart of the Cowboys' incredible defense is Micah Parsons, the team's star pass rusher who draws “oohs and ahhs” with how fast he maneuvers around the opposition's offensive line. Given Parsons' talent, it's natural for him to draw lofty expectations — including from his own teammate, safety Jayron Kearse. Kearse expects to see a humongous effort from the 24-year old pass rusher this upcoming season, which involves winning the NFL's most prestigious individual award for defenders.

“I expect a Defensive Player of the Year type of year from him. Hands down. If I was a betting guy, my money is on him,” Kearse said of his Cowboys teammate, per Jon Machota of The Athletic. “He has the ability to wreck a game at any given moment when he wants to. The type of impact I’m expecting him to have is not only for the defense, but for the team is tremendous.”

If there's anything who knows just how capable Micah Parsons is, it's his Cowboys teammate. They have an in-depth look at just how hard Parsons works behind the scenes, which is why Jayron Kearse has such high expectations for one of the team's most crucial defensive pieces.

“Just his mentality in how he’s attacking things this year, it’s much different than I’ve seen in his previous years. He comes in like, ‘I’m the lion.’ He lives like that throughout the day, throughout the week, just like, ‘I’m the baddest guy out here,'” Kearse added. “That’s the biggest difference I’ve seen from him.”

Bigger things are yet to come for Micah Parsons and the Cowboys. Only time will tell if he manages to reach those huge expectations.