The Dallas Cowboys introduced new defensive coordinator Christian Parker with a press conference where the young coach spoke on a variety of topics. While answering questions, Parker spoke at length about how his vision aligned with head coach Brian Schottenheimer as the first-time DC laid out his philosophies.
Among the surprises was how he believes “games are won and lost upfront” on the defensive line. Coming from a coach who has mainly worked with the secondary during his career, it was a refreshing confirmation from Parker, and a big challenge for the Cowboys.
Advertisement
Even more interestingly, Parker spoke about the Cowboys’ front seven “as a strength.”
That’s a change for a defense who hasn’t had the horses in the trenches for many years until they began to rebuild it last season. The trades for defensive tackles Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams, paired with mainstay DT Osa Odighizuwa, have formed a trio among the best in the league. With all the questions about Clark returning, Parker’s tone seemed to solidify the team is expecting to keep the veteran.
And while the interior of the defense might be a strong group, defensive end doesn’t seem like a great, or deep, position as currently constructed. Only second-year DE Donovan Ezeiruaku seems to have significant talent, and while James Houston (5.5 sacks) is signed for another season, the other solid options are all free agents. A combination of any of the veterans options that include Jadeveon Clowney, Dante Fowler and Sam Williams might be back, but none are signed for 2026.
The linebacker group also leaves much to be desired. There’s a mix of youth and veteran options, but DeMarvion Overshown feels like the only legitimate player in the bunch. Perhaps Parker can get more out of young LBs Marist Liufau and Shemar James to give the position more of a boost. Veteran LB Logan Wilson was released on Friday.
Advertisement
Free agency and the draft need to bring help, because as good as Parker might feel about the front seven, holes remain.
Parker also spoke about being multiple in his defenses scheme, and how the alignment didn’t seem to mean as much as matching his players’ strengths to fit his defensive game plan.
“You build it around players. You have your core foundation of beliefs but … you wanna build a package that has versatility and scheme but … you wanna highlight it around their strengths.”
– Christian Parker
players >>>>>>> scheme all 2026 #Cowboys
— Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) February 18, 2026
Part of that philosophy includes having a strong defensive line that can stop the run. Parker mentioned it on a few occasions during the press conference; his defense needs to be able to stop opponents here so they can dictate to the offense.
Finally having a defense that can stop the run would be a huge step in the right direction for the Cowboys. No matter who the coordinator has been recently, they’ve led a unit that hasn’t been able to slow down any rushing attack. It has been seven years since Dallas’ had a top 10 rushing defense, and they’ve been in the bottom half of the league for the past six seasons, giving up an average of over 129 yards a game on the ground during that time.
Advertisement
In the last three seasons, the Cowboys’ defense is tied for the second most rushing scores allowed in the league, with 63. In their last three playoff losses, they’ve given up an average of 141.6 ypg and six rushing touchdowns. Something has to change.
One of the positives during those winning seasons that kept the Cowboys’ defense relevant was their ability to create turnovers. However, when they weren’t able force them, the team struggled to win games.
Creating turnovers is a big part of having a successful defense, but stopping the run is also a key component, and no DC for the Cowboys has been able to do it since Rod Marinelli was roaming the sidelines. If Parker can be the one who bucks that trend, the Cowboys might have a defense that can work in unison with the offense.
Stopping the run feels like it’s a priority for Christian Parker’s defense, which is a welcomed change from where the Cowboys have been in the past six seasons.
Advertisement
Follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys DC Christian Parker is making stopping the run a high priority
