Cowboys' Micah Parsons claims teammate is lock for DPOY

"[Eagles cornerback] Darius Slay and I say that he should be Defensive Player of The Year," Parsons said of the cornerback on a recent episode of his podcast "The Edge." "No one's creating his turnovers. If he's not a lock already, which he should be. He will be a lock at the end of the year."

Through 11 games, Bland leads the league in interceptions (seven) and set an NFL record for pick-sixes (five). On Thursday, the second-year cornerback earned NFC Defensive Player of the Month. 

"Five pick-sixes returned for TDs in one season, holy moly, this is greatness," Parsons said. "People don't understand how special it is. How amazing it is to see that out of your teammate."

Bland's DPOY odds have skyrocketed. As of Thursday, FanDuel gives the former fifth-round pick the fourth-best odds (+1000) of winning the award behind Pittsburgh's T.J. Watt, Parsons and Cleveland's Myles Garrett.

Typically, the league's top pass-rusher earns DPOY. Bland's teammate, cornerback Stephon Gilmore, won it in 2019, but he's in rare company. Gilmore is one of 11 secondary players to win the award, per StatMuse. 

Bland is strengthening his case, though. Pro Football Focus recently gave the 24-year-old a 91.7 grade, the best at his position.

The budding star indicated he's not worried about DPOY and is more focused on helping his team end its 28-year Super Bowl drought.

"Now, just trying to keep going, try to go all the way for the team," Bland recently said, per The Athletic's Saad Yousuf. "Try to get a Super Bowl. I was always more into the team goals than anything. All of the individual goals will come with it."