FRISCO, Texas — New Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker is the other of his predecessor Matt Eberflus in a mess of the way. From Parker’s hiring course of to the schematics and the stage of their careers once they took this job.
When Brian Schottenheimer was employed as the pinnacle coach of the Cowboys on Jan. 24 of final 12 months, the hiring of Eberflus as defensive coordinator got here 4 days afterward Jan. 28. Eberflus had a excessive stage of familiarity with Dallas from being the staff’s linebackers coach from 2011 to 2017 earlier than he departed to turn out to be the Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator in 2018. That stint lasted by 2021 earlier than the Chicago Bears made him their head coach in 2022. He was fired midseason in 2024 after a time administration debacle on Thanksgiving on the Detroit Lions earlier than returning to the Cowboys as DC in 2025 on the age of 55.
Eberflus’ Cowboys group misplaced All-Professional edge rusher Micah Parsons every week earlier than the season began in a commerce with the Inexperienced Bay Packers that netted Dallas two first-round picks and three-time Professional Bowl defensive deal with Kenny Clark. Eberflus’ group went on to permit an NFL-worst 30.1 factors per recreation regardless of Jones buying and selling for New York Jets All-Professional defensive deal with Quinnen Williams on the commerce deadline. After Dallas’ 34-17 house loss towards the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 16, Jones took full accountability for the rent of Eberflus.
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“Finally, you level your finger proper again at you on who employed Matt Eberflus,” Jones stated postgame that day. “It is easy to say you would have performed issues in a different way, however that goes with the territory. Any time you make the final word resolution, then you have to take a look at that and weigh it.”
Parker’s complete course of
Parker’s hiring course of was the polar reverse of Eberflus’. Jones, staff EVP Stephen Jones and Schottenheimer carried out a complete course of by interviewing 40 defensive coaches to fill out their defensive employees in 2026, 9 of whom had been thought of to fill their defensive coordinator emptiness. Parker was the final candidate they thought of. He joined their search in 2026 after a number of NFL stops. Parker labored as a defensive high quality management coach with the Inexperienced Bay Packers (2019-2020), the defensive backs coach for the Denver Broncos (2021-2023) after which because the Philadelphia Eagles passing recreation coordinator/defensive backs coach (2024-2025). He left an enduring impression, and now he is the Cowboys’ youngest defensive coordinator ever on the age of 34.
“I feel this was one thing the place we’re excited to say ‘hey, let’s take a deep breath, let’s get it proper.’ I feel we did over 40 complete interviews. 9 of which had been coordinators,” Schottenheimer stated on Wednesday. “He [Parker] was the final one by the best way. He was the final zoom that we did. Each impression that we had with CP simply left us wanting extra. The conviction that he has. His curious, calm demeanor, you guys will get to know him. Simply the best way he carries himself is superior. However actually the method was thorough. It was lengthy. Jerry and Stephen, I feel, they hung with me, which is nice. We did so many layers of this factor. We bought into ideas and strategies at each stage. … However we bought into the weeds man and simply each time we hung out with CP, it turned very clear he was the man for the job.”
The X’s and O’s distinction
Schematically, Eberflus and Parker could not be extra totally different. In 2025, Eberflus ran the identical 4-3 defensive entrance Dallas was operating with him at linebackers coach and Rod Marinelli at defensive coordinator with a heavy zone protection emphasis. That emphasis wasn’t a match with cornerbacks Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland in 2025, two gamers who racked up interceptions whereas operating rather more man coverage-focused schemes beneath Dan Quinn and Mike Zimmer. Parker plans to run a 3-4 and be “a number of” together with his protection seems whereas attending to “know the scholar[s] in the beginning.” Translation: Dallas’ protection beneath Parker will mildew the system to their gamers versus Eberflus’ method of making an attempt to mildew his gamers to his system.
“Very first thing, we’ll be a number of. I feel that everytime you kind a defensive construction, it is concerning the gamers that you’ve got,” Parker stated on Wednesday. “So our core rules, we’ll be a 3-4 by nature. 4-3 spacing might be applicable. 4-2-5 in nickel totally different entrance constructions, coverages behind it. However I’ll say being a number of might be a very powerful factor about it.”
There is a excessive stage of belief in what Parker will have the ability to do with Dallas’ gamers, notably within the secondary — his space of experience. He helped mildew Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II into profitable 2024 NFL Defensive Participant of the Yr honors, and a number of Eagles corners, Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell, earned first staff All-Professional choices beneath his tutelage in 2025.
“Man, each time we talked, we simply bought off a name or get off a zoom or off an interview, man, I wished extra of that,” Schottenheimer stated. “I feel his means to develop gamers may be very apparent. You take a look at what he did in Denver, concerned with Surtain, and also you take a look at what they did in Philadelphia. Clearly, with Cooper DeJean, and [Quinyon] Mitchell and issues like that, he is performed it. A ton of respect for [Eagles defensive coordinator] Vic Fangio. He is reduce his tooth beneath Vic, however he isn’t Vic. He is bought his personal convictions and beliefs. That is what I discovered concerning the man.”
How Parker plans to make use of Dallas’ highly-paid defensive deal with trio
Three of the Cowboys’ seven highest-paid gamers are defensive tackles: All-Professional Quinnen Williams (4 years, $96 million), Osa Odighizuwa (4 years, $80 million) and three-time Professional Bowler Kenny Clark (three years, $64 million). Final 12 months when Williams was acquired on the commerce deadline, Eberflus went to plenty of five-down fronts (5 defensive linemen on the road of scrimmage). Parker will think about using that as effectively different seems to make sure all three get snap counts reflective of their contract standing.
“I feel you’ve got other ways of doing that. 5-down [defensive linemen] is certainly one of them. There are some totally different four-down constructions you are able to do with that as effectively,” Parked stated. “There’s six-down shows you are able to do that with as effectively. So like I stated earlier, the line of defense after which profitable the sport upfront is important. So how we will change the mathematics and get our greatest gamers on the sector will at all times be part of what we do.”
Parker’s preliminary ideas on the Cowboys’ cornerbacks
Dallas’ secondary is about to bear a makeover this offseason, however two cornerbacks who’re assured to be on the roster are 2023 NFL interceptions chief DaRon Bland and 2025 third-round choose Shavon Revel. Proper now, Parker is evaluating what he has in Dallas’ roster forward of free company in March.
“They’ve totally different strengths. I undoubtedly evaluated Revel final 12 months within the draft course of. I had certainly one of his teammates at Denver in Ja’Quan McMillian at ECU, so I had a little bit little bit of intel there,” Parker stated. “However his means to erase receivers in press protection, he is very aggressive in run help, and he has the lengthy pace and athletic traits you need on the place. Clearly, coming off the harm, getting him wholesome is a major a part of that and having the arrogance to take action. And Bland, he is instinctive with how he takes the ball away at a excessive price. You noticed that from Sac State to Fresno [State] to now right here. I am excited to do work with these guys.”
What’s subsequent?
Now that Parker and his defensive employees have been finalized, Schottenheimer and the Jones household are getting along with their new defensive coordinator to ensure they’re aligned on the varieties of gamers he feels are excellent with how he desires to play.
“Now we’re going by the method of creating positive the essential elements by place are stuffed as we prepare to enter an thrilling time of the mix, draft prep and free company and all that stuff,” Schottenheimer stated. “It is an thrilling time, and the one factor you realize about our course of is it may be day by day. It should be 24/7, 365. Like I stated, Jerry is a good listener man. He asks nice questions, and I feel that is why the best way we do it, we’ve got plenty of success as a result of it’s totally collaborative.”
These participant specs are known as essential elements, they usually’ll be essential in how the Cowboys look to rebuild the NFL’s worst scoring protection in 2026.
“Important elements by place. So like for corners, what we’re on the lookout for at nook whether or not it is measurables, OK, however then issues are going to be requested to do, traits. So clearly we had that stuffed out on offense, and we had the identical factor on protection final 12 months, however they will be a little bit totally different,” Schottenheimer stated. “So the way you discuss utilizing a 4-I [a defensive lineman lined up on the inside shoulder of the offensive tackle] or how you employ the surface linebacker and a number of the items that we’ve got in place. Then, a number of the areas that we have to add by the course of free company and within the draft.”
