It’s not just linebacker. This defensive position is also a need for the Cowboys
When the Dallas Cowboys hired defensive coordinator Christian Parker, the immediate praise for their first-time defensive play-caller was his development of cornerbacks across the NFL since he broke into the league in 2019.
From Jaire Alexander and Pat Surtain II to Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, each NFL stop for Parker has seen a rapid development at the position. Specifically, the nickel corner spot has been one that has consistently been productive under Parker’s tutelage, and he sees the importance it’s played in his career.
In his introductory press conference, Parker pointed out the vital role that a nickel corner will play in his defense in Dallas.
“Very important,” Parker said. “That guy, he’s a corner sometimes, he’s a safety sometimes, he’s a [line]backer sometimes. He’s a defensive end when he’s blitzing. You want to have a guy who has natural instincts and ability to feel the game and play football. He’s usually a guy who if you were playing football on a Saturday afternoon in the neighborhood, he’s your first-round draft pick, just because he feels the game naturally. That’s definitely an important guy to a good defense.”
Since then, the Cowboys have added to and subtracted from Parker’s defense through free agency to fulfill his defensive vision. Adding defensive end Rashan Gary will help bolster a pass rush that was dormant for stretches at a time last season, and bringing in safety Jalen Thompson will give some reliability on the back end that Dallas desperately needed after giving up the most passing yards of any team in the NFL in 2025.
Cornerback Cobie Durant throws another starting-caliber cornerback into the mix as well, but the team is still hunting down its starting nickel cornerback.
When asked about defensive positions that haven’t been addressed yet this offseason — aside from the obvious linebacker hole — head coach Brian Schottenheimer pointed right to that position and how the reigning Super Bowl champions lifted the trophy with the help of multiple players playing that role.
“One area that we talked a lot about is the nickel position,” Schottenheimer said. “That can come from a lot of different spots. It could come from the safety. I look around the league and every week it’s like, Seattle, they’re the best example because they really got two. They got Nick [Emmanwori] that can move down on first and second down, and they got [Devon] Witherspoon on third down — maybe one of the best blitzers in the game. [He] affects the quarterback. That’s a big thing for us.”
The Cowboys used to have a reliable nickel corner in Jourdan Lewis, but they let him walk in the 2025 offseason to the Jacksonville Jaguars — something Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has expressed some regret over in recent months.
With that history in mind and the porous secondary that existed in Dallas last season, addressing the nickel spot with confidence is still on the agenda for Schottenheimer and the Cowboys.
“[The nickel is] important in any defense,” he said. “I think that’s why everyone is chasing it. I think that’s why you saw a great player like [Jourdan Lewis] go and command the money he commanded last year, a really good football player. The good news is Cobie Durant has played that. Great addition for us, and I’m excited about that. [Derion] Kendrick has played that some.”
One player on the roster who has filled that role in the past has been 2023 All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland. In his rookie season, Bland stepped in for an injured Lewis and led the team in interceptions (five) down the stretch. In 2023, he moved back outside after an injury to Trevon Diggs and led the NFL in interceptions (nine) and pick-sixes (five). After some movement inside and out in 2024 and 2025 amidst a pair of foot injuries, the plan now is to keep Bland on the outside moving forward.
“At the end of the day, we’d love to have a guy that allows us to keep DaRon outside,” Schottenheimer said. “We feel like DaRon has the ability to shut off a side of the field, and we’d rather keep him outside then move him inside.”
What are the Cowboys’ options at nickel?
If the Cowboys were hoping to make one more swing in free agency to address the nickel corner spot, it would be bottom-barrel scraping to find one capable of comfortably filling that hole.
League veterans such as Jimmie Ward and Avonte Maddox have ample nickel experience, but both are very much on the back nine of their careers. Some younger options are still on the market such as Artie Burns, Nick McCloud and Arthur Maulet, but again, there isn’t one in that group that inspires a lot of day-one confidence.
That leaves the draft. And fortunately for the Cowboys, this is a good draft to enter needing a nickel. Top-50 options such as Clemson’s Avieon Terrell, Miami’s Keionte Scott, Indiana’s D’Angelo Ponds, Duke’s Chandler Rivers and Arizona State’s Keith Abney II could be day-one starters at the position.
That is, if the Cowboys can’t get the crown jewel of the entire draft class in the secondary in Caleb Downs. The Ohio State product mainly played safety in college, but his 210-pound frame allows for nickel flexibility and an ability to play in the box at the next level.
If the Cowboys can’t find one early on, Oregon’s Jadon Canady, Texas’ Jaylon Guilbeau and Texas A&M’s Tyreek Chappell could be options on day three.
This story was originally published April 6, 2026 at 1:40 PM.
