The Dallas Cowboys finally decided at defensive coordinator when they hired Christian Parker, plucking him from the Philadelphia Eagles. Speculation has already started on what players he'll bring with him, but before that could really be a conversation, moves are coming to the staff.
On Saturday, Calvin Watkins of the Dallas News reported that Cowboys defensive assistant coaches have been given the green light to seek other jobs. If they wanted to remain with the staff, they would have to interview with Parker.
Watkins also added that some of these coaches are already down at the Senior Bowl, getting ready for those practices that start next week.
While there are some tough decisions that need to be made, it's obvious that the Cowboys want to get rid of every Matt Eberflus memory they have.
Cowboys Make Big Move to Distant Themselves Completely from Matt Eberflus
And that means any of the coaches that Eberflus brought to Dallas will have to fight for their chance to stay. But considering that they were given permission to find other jobs, it shows how they are being viewed. This update highlights that the Cowboys are giving Parker the ability to build his staff as he sees fit, and that's the right decision.
Dallas went 7-9-1, but it was due to their poor defense holding them back. In 2025, Dallas ranked 30th in total defense (377), 32nd in pass defense (251.5), and 23rd in run defense (125.5). They were also last in scoring defense (29.6).
Meanwhile, on the other side of the ball, Dallas was second in total offense (391.9) and passing offense (266.3), but seventh in points per game (27.7). If the defense was even average, the Cowboys could have made a run in the postseason.
Instead, they were at home for the second straight year. Parker wants to make sure his defensive staff will fix these problems, and any leftovers from Eberflus' staff appear to be on the outs. And based on the production last season, that seems to be the correct call.
Parker has been with the Packers, Broncos, and Eagles in his NFL coaching career. Those seem like places where he'll poach coaches to bring over to Dallas. He already started that process, as ESPN's Todd Archer reported that Dallas is set to interview Eagles assistant LB coach Ronell Williams.
The Cowboys are looking to bring in new voices on the defensive side, and that means separating themselves from Eberflus in every facet.