How Cowboys’ draft picks offer insight into Christian Parker’s defensive vision
Shortly after the Dallas Cowboys hired Christian Parker to be their new defensive coordinator in January, they set out on a journey to completely rebuild the personnel on that side of the ball with players that fit into Parker’s new scheme and vision.
From the jump, we knew that the defensive scheme would change to a mostly 3-4 look -- “mostly” just because Parker and the front office have emphasized that it will be a multiple, versatile defense as well. For that to be accomplished, they had to set their sights on versatile defenders.
Enter free agency, where they targeted defensive back Jalen Thompson from the get-go because of his flexibility between playing the strong safety spot, in the box and in the slot. Cornerback Cobie Durant also brought experience from playing on the boundary and in the slot.
But when it came to how Dallas used its five draft selections on the defensive side of the ball, the goal of versatility stood out more than anything else, and it began with the team’s first selection in Caleb Downs.
“Christian Parker had a tremendous vision for what these guys could do for our defense,” executive vice president Stephen Jones said. “And I think that was so important to us that they could come in here and make a big, big difference. Obviously, Downs has tons of versatility in terms of what he can do for us on the defensive side of the ball, whether it’s playing in the nickel, being a corner, whether it’s playing safety. He just brings so much versatility in a place where we need it.”
“We think [Downs is] a multiplier,” head coach Brian Schottenheimer said. “We think the versatility that he brings to the defense is incredible and how quickly these guys reacted and said, ‘We have a chance to go get what we think is a difference maker.’ It was very surgical.”
While fellow first-round pick Malachi Lawrence will mostly be contained to an outside linebacker role, the versatility theme radiated into day two when the Cowboys took Michigan linebacker Jaishawn Barham in the third round over a group of other talented defenders. It was in large part because of that same factor: the versatility.
“Jaishawn is a piece that has played both on the ball at Michigan, off the ball at Michigan and Maryland,” Schottenheimer said. “We think versatility with him is going to be something that causes major problems for people that we play.”
Schottenheimer compared the vision for Barham to what Eagles linebacker Zack Baun has done in Philadelphia over the last couple of seasons -- again, where Parker came from -- under Philadelphia defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Baun has mostly played off the ball, in the box, but will break off and rush the passer off the edge at times, too.
That vision for Barham has the versatility emanating from the front into the second level before you even start talking about the flexible secondary pieces like Thompson and Downs.
“At the end of the day, the more quality football players that you have that can do multiple things, the more multiple you can be,” vice president of player personnel Will McClay said. “That’s from a strategy standpoint and from a coaching standpoint.”
While the options for versatility from the picks on day three weren’t quite as strong as they were on the first two days of the draft, cornerback Devin Moore and defensive lineman LT Overton both bring a versatile piece to each of their games. Moore has safety flexibility that he said that he is open to at the next level, and Overton has the type of physical flexibility to move inside as a defensive tackle or outside as an edge rusher.
“He played all over the line of scrimmage, and in this defense you have to line up in multiple alignments,” McClay said about Overton. “You can line up head up, inside, outside. The deal is being able to play knock-back and then being able to play a [offensive line] gap and a half and also the athleticism to move around on the defensive front. Versatility does matter in this defense and then playing at the high level that he did at Alabama, we feel like he can come in here and contribute at a level right now that can help the defense.”
With Parker as now the man in charge on the defensive side of the ball, the vision is clear: multiple players that can do multiple things. With that, he may just be able to get the defense out of the basement of the league that it has been so comfortable in over the last two seasons.
“That’s what you’re looking for,” Schottenheimer said. “From the offensive side of it, it’s what makes it hard on us when you’ve got pieces out there, and you’re not sure exactly where they’re going to align or where they’re going to play. They can do different things.”
