Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker takes on the daunting task of turning around a defense with massive holes at every level.
The first-time DC, however, is taking the right open-minded approach to tackling the issues.
"The first thing is we're going to be multiple," Parker said Wednesday of his defensive scheme, via the team’s official website. "I think that whenever you form a defensive structure, it's about the players that you have. So our core principles, we'll be a 3-4 by nature, but 4-3 spacing will be appropriate, 4-2-5 in nickel, different front structures, coverages behind it. But I will say being multiple is probably the most important thing about it."
Being scheme-flexible is the best path to success in this era. The Seahawks lived in nickel personnel to great advantage on their way to hoisting a Lombardi Trophy. However, that only works when you won't get gashed on the ground with light boxes.
For the 34-year-old Parker, the talent will ultimately determine the scheme.
"You build it around the players," Parker said. "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? 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, and then you want to highlight it around those strengths."
Coaches who insist on playing one way and don't employ the players to do so aren't long for their jobs. Parker's approach, after spending the past two years under Vic Fangio in Philadelphia, is the right one. The question is what sort of players will he be scheming for in 2026 with a coaching staff finalized in Dallas.
The Cowboys defense has needs all over the field, from edge rusher to cornerback to coverage linebacker to safety to defensive tackle. There literally isn't a spot where Dallas is set on defense. After free agency and the draft, we can re-evaluate Parker's plans for that multiple defensive scheme to see if he has the horses to run it properly.
"I don't think we want to put any expectations on it in that regard," Parker said when asked if he believes things can turn around swiftly in Dallas. "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."
