Todd Archer
Multiple Authors
FRISCO, Texas — Christian Parker, the Dallas Cowboys’ new defensive coordinator, is walking into a unit that finished last in the NFL in points per game allowed (30.1) and 30th in the league in yards per game allowed (377).
The Cowboys have needs at every level of their defense that will require additions through free agency and the draft. The rebuild looks daunting for a team that has missed the playoffs in each of the past two seasons.
“Yeah, I don’t think we want to put any expectations on it in that regard,” Parker said at his introductory news conference Wednesday. “I think we just want to kind of take it day by day and do it the right way. So we’re kind of just taking that approach. We’ll get our head out of the sand at some point, but right now we got tunnel vision on doing things the right way.”
At 34, Parker is the Cowboys’ youngest coordinator in team history. He has been an NFL position coach since 2021 and served the past two years as the Philadelphia Eagles’ passing game coordinator.
“I’m ready,” he said.
Parker spent time with one of the NFL’s top defensive minds, Vic Fangio, with the Eagles and Denver Broncos. He broke into the NFL with the Green Bay Packers under Mike Pettine as a quality control coach in 2019.
“I think confidence comes from preparation and I think that I’ve been able to learn from the right people,” Parker said. “So I think when you’ve been involved with different people along my journey that I’ve learned under as head coaches and defensive coordinators, No. 1, and then the diversity in scheme that I’ve been involved with, you kind of become accustomed to what you’re comfortable with and your own ideas. You like certain things, you don’t like certain things. What will work, what won’t work.
“I think as you kind of get involved with different people you kind of form your own identity, so when you have that opportunity, you know what you’re going to do, and I’ve gone through that process internally for a great deal of my career. So I’ve prepared as much as I possibly can for this moment.”
The search for Parker led the Cowboys to conduct nine interviews for the coordinator spot and more than 40 for the entire defensive staff. After meeting with Parker virtually and then having an in-person interview, head coach Brian Schottenheimer was convinced Parker was the right hire.
“The way he carries himself, he’s wise beyond his years,” Schottenheimer said. “I mean this, he’s convicted and I did tell him I was a coordinator at 32 years old. He’s 34, so he’s been slacking — a little disappointing I had to beat him by two years. I say that in jest because, like, he’s been preparing for this for the last four or five years. … A ton of respect for Vic Fangio. He’s cut his teeth under Vic, but he’s not Vic. He’s got his own convictions and beliefs, and that’s what I learned about the guy.”
Schottenheimer added, “I think we hit a home run with this guy.”
Parker said the core principle of the Cowboys’ defense will be a 3-4, which the franchise has not run since 2012, but Parker said the structure of the defense will be multiple with its looks.
Parker referenced the Cowboys’ defensive line as a strength. That room includes defensive tackles Quinnen Williams, a Pro Bowler acquired in a trade from the New York Jets; Kenny Clark, acquired from the Packers in the Micah Parsons trade; and Osa Odighizuwa, who signed an $80 million contract last year.
The Cowboys’ leader in sacks last year, Jadeveon Clowney, is set to become a free agent next month.
He also mentioned cornerback DaRon Bland’s playmaking skills as well as the potential of cornerback Shavon Revel, last year’s third-round pick who missed the first nine games last year with a torn ACL.
The Cowboys have two first-round picks in the upcoming draft, at Nos. 12 and 20. The last time they had two top-20 picks in the same draft, they took DeMarcus Ware and Marcus Spears in 2005 and helped transform their move to a 3-4 under Bill Parcells.
Parker said owner and general manager Jerry Jones did not promise he would use the first two picks on defensive players this time around, but he would campaign for the Cowboys to do so.
One criticism of last year’s defense was it did not fit what some of the players did best. Parker said his scheme will be built around the players.
“Of course, you want to have your core principles and foundational beliefs, but as you kind of move forward in the process, what do your guys do well? How can you put players in highlighted positions, create one-on-ones for certain guys? How can you protect certain guys?” Parker said. “If we can win on blitzing a running back, then we’re going to blitz a lot. If we got good man-to-man corners, we’re going to play man. If we’re better than zone vision, we’ll play more zone. You want to build a package that has diversity in scheme, and you want to tailor it to the players you have.
“Of course, you have schematic fits, but I think the really good players are the ones you can’t peg them into a certain scheme, and that’s the only way they can play football. You want to have guys that whatever scheme they are in, they can be significant contributors.”
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