NFL midseason awards: Who would win MVP, DPOY & more if season ended today?

Defensive Player of the Year

While the MVP and to some degree Offensive Player of the Year are tilted towards quarterbacks, voters for the defensive side of the ball are typically enamored with guys putting up big numbers in the sacks and interceptions department.

It’s rare that we see true off-ball linebackers take home the honors, with Luke Kuechly being the only one since 2005 to do so. Their impact on the game has been somewhat mitigated. Therefore, pass-rushing edge defenders have moved into the spotlight. Considering how many teams rely on their front four and simulated pressures to put heat on quarterbacks, they’ve been the stars of this season.

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#1 Nick Bosa

Right now, in terms of being able to attack the weaknesses of blockers, overwhelm guys physically and take advantage of technical imperfections, Nick Bosa is probably the apex predator in the NFL.

He’s currently fifth league-wide with 36 pressures, but if you average that number out, by taking into consideration that he’s missed a good one-and-a-half games and the 49ers have already had their bye week, he moves up to second, behind only the Browns’ Myles Garrett.

Bosa also leads the league in actual QB hits (20) and he’s tied for second in sacks (8.5). His explosion off the ball has become even more terrifying since he’s entered the league. If tackles mistime when they shoot their punch or don’t hit the right landing spots, he can defeat their hands cleanly with one swipe. Moreover, if they get a little too tall or shift their way to their heels, he will take them to the quarterback along with himself.

While his eight tackles for loss rank him one spot outside the top 10 in that statistic, he has been a menace in run defense. Whether it’s creating chaos by crashing into a pulling lineman at the point of attack, squeezing or running things down from the backside, or simply funneling things back inside, he has been a big factor in the 49ers ranking No. 1 in the NFL at 3.4 yards per rush allowed.

In PFF’s metrics, Bosa is the only edge defender with pass-rush and run-defense grades of over 80 (Chris Jones and Quinnen Williams are the two IDLs who meet those parameters).

He’s been a dominant player for a defense that, without taking the Chiefs game into account, has given up just 14.7 points a game.

#2 Micah Parsons

The case for Micah Parsons to be right at the front of this race is fairly simple – he finished second last season in terms of votes for Defensive Player of the Year as a rookie and he’s significantly better in year two.

Right now, he ranks behind only the Browns’ Myles Garrett, with 39 pressures on the season, despite spending a higher percentage of snaps in coverage than any other player in the top 10.

According to ESPN’s pass-rush win rate, he beats his blocker in 2.5 seconds or less on 32% of his rushes, which places him at number one in the league. His speed off the edge is second to none, and he's able to consistently attack half the man and win the corner. He's also able to hit quick inside counters and incorporate some stutter steps, to read pass sets and punish any overcommitments.

His ability to create force through his acceleration is a major problem for blockers, but his hand placement has some room for improvement over the rest of the season.

When he isn’t actually attacking the quarterback, we’ve seen Parsons with some teach-tape reps in coverage against running backs and tight ends. The biggest star on the Cowboys is also tied for sixth with nine tackles for loss, while the two guys in front of him have 10 but have played one additional game.

Even when blockers try to seal him on the backside, his quickness to jump inside can create issues. He also has the blazing speed to run down even wide receivers when they’re involved in the run/screen game.

With some absurd chase-down tackles, a couple of fumbles forced and one alertly returned for a touchdown, he’s arguably the biggest playmaker on the defensive side of the ball. Moreover, he’s doing it for the top-ranked defense in DVOA (-18.6%).

#3 Myles Garrett

According to PFF, Garrett leads the NFL in pass-rushing grade (93.7), total pressures (41) and pass-rush win percentage (27.4%). He’s on pace for the best (statistical) season of his career.

He has “only” recorded 7.5 sacks so far, but he has also only played in seven games. When he’s been out there, he’s absolutely terrorized any tackle he’s gone up against, and most teams have adjusted their protections to provide help.

Garrett has become much more flexible and has the ability to torque his body and step past his man, linking his arms and lower half together. He also has the sheer power to take blockers for a ride and force QBs to move off their spot even with offensive coordinators circling him on the whiteboard.

In the run game, he has been one of the few bright spots for Cleveland, who rank in the bottom 10 in total yards and yards per carry allowed on the ground. Garrett has done his part, though, stunning tight ends at the point of attack and even shutting down option plays against the likes of Lamar Jackson. He does have eight TFLs to his name, which once again came in just seven contests.

Honorable mentions: Matthew Judon, Jeffery Simmons & Za’Darius Smith