Top 5 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Candidates: Is it Parsons’s Year?

5. Myles Garrett (+700) - Cleveland Browns

The 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year was Cleveland Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett. Garrett had 16 sacks in both 2021 and 2022 and then 14 sacks plus four forced fumbles in his award-winning season. Despite facing constant double-teams, Garrett earned his fifth Pro Bowl nod and third First Team All-Pro selection. Cleveland’s defense was statistically the best in the NFL and Garrett was the clear leader and driving force behind the dominant unit. The Browns lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Houston Texans as Garrett was held to only three tackles. He is fifth in the odds for the 2024 NFL Defensive Player of the Year award at +700.

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Cleveland Browns 2024 Win Total: 8.5

2. T.J. Watt (+650) - Pittsburgh Steelers

The 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, T.J. Watt is one of the NFL’s best pass rushers and if he can stay healthy, he will be a strong contender for the award again. Watt is listed at +650, close behind Parsons and tied with two other defenders. He had 19 sacks in 2023 and was a key reason for the Steelers squeaking into the playoffs. He is now the all-time sacks leader for the Pittsburgh Steelers and has had at least 13 in five of his seven NFL seasons.

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Pittsburgh Steelers 2024 Win Totals: 7.5

3. Nick Bosa (+650) - San Francisco 49ers

Nick Bosa is entering his sixth NFL season. The 2022 NFL Defensive Player of the Year held out for 44 days before the 2023 season until he signed a record new deal that made him the league’s highest-paid defensive player. Bosa had 18.5 sacks in his award-winning 2022 campaign but that number dipped to 10.5 last season. He did have a career-high 53 tackles and four pass deflections while helping the San Francisco 49ers to another stellar season. Bosa also earned Pro Bowl honors for the fourth time in his career. The hulking pass rusher stood out in the playoffs with two sacks in the NFC Championship Game against the Lions and three quarterback hurries against the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl. 

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San Francisco 49ers 2024 Win Total: 11.5

4. Maxx Crosby (+650) - Las Vegas Raiders

Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby has improved every season of his NFL career and is now tied for second in odds to win the Defensive Player of the Year. Crosby was drafted in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft from Eastern Michigan and he immediately showed he could make an impact as a pass rusher. He had four sacks in a game against the Bengals in his rookie season and finished the year with ten sacks. His play dipped in 2020 and 2021 and he checked into rehab for alcoholism in 2022. When he returned sober and recommitted to being the best he could be on and off the field, Crosby’s play took off and he had a career-high 14.5 sacks in 2023. The Raiders star is a major force for Vegas and could be a contender for the NFL’s top defensive award.

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Las Vegas Raiders 2024 Win Total: 6.5

5. Myles Garrett (+700) - Cleveland Browns

The 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year was Cleveland Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett. Garrett had 16 sacks in both 2021 and 2022 and then 14 sacks plus four forced fumbles in his award-winning season. Despite facing constant double-teams, Garrett earned his fifth Pro Bowl nod and third First Team All-Pro selection. Cleveland’s defense was statistically the best in the NFL and Garrett was the clear leader and driving force behind the dominant unit. The Browns lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Houston Texans as Garrett was held to only three tackles. He is fifth in the odds for the 2024 NFL Defensive Player of the Year award at +700.

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Cleveland Browns 2024 Win Total: 8.5