Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker made several things clear at his introductory press conference on Wednesday. Nothing was clearer than the message he had for linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, though.
Parker isn't going to let the defensive signal-caller continue to make relatively little impact, at least juxtaposed against his expectations. Instead, he's going to build his scheme around Overshown, which means plenty of blitzes and pressure.
Parker admitted he's going to build every scheme around an impact player's skill set. He also stressed that everyone is expected to contribute, no matter the scheme, though the main point was that his defense will be meritocratic.
"I think you build (the scheme) around the players. Of course, you want to have your core principles and foundational beliefs. But as you move forward in the process, what do your guys do well? How can you put good players in highlighted positions? How can you create 1-on-1's for certain guys? If we can win on blitzes with the running back, then we're going to blitz a lot. If we've got good man-to-man corners, we're going to play man. If we have guys with better zone vision, we're going to play more zone," Parker said, via the team's X account.
"You want to build a package that has diversity and scheme, and then you want to tailor it to the players you have. Of course, there are 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, no matter what scheme they're in, they can be significant contributors and then you want to highlight it around their strengths," Parker continued.
DeMarvion Overshown Set to Have Bigger Role in 2026
Kenneth Murray and Jack Sanborn are likely out the door in NFL free agency this offseason, meaning Overshown will be one of the elder statesmen expected to contribute in 2026. Whether or not he mans the middle or the weakside, Overshown needs to be one of those players Parker builds his defense around.
Overshown is a safe bet to build on his 67.4 PFF overall grade in 2025, which he recorded after just 218 snaps. While he was still hampered by several injuries to his lower extremities this past season, that shouldn't be a problem this coming fall.
With an increased role, Overshown could return to the path we saw in 2024, when 10.5 percent of his snaps came on pass-rushing downs. Last season, with a lack of focus on him with all the additional depth taking over when he missed time, that number dropped to 3.7 percent when he did see the field. A dip of nearly 7 percentage points with a player as talented as Overshown is a clear signal that a change is needed.
Overshown has no problem tracking his target, but he wasn't at his best at shedding blockers. He relies on his speed, which figures to decline in the coming years due to wear and tear. His game would be taken to the next level with a dedicated offseason regimen focusing on bulking up.
If Overshown can get even better at stopping the run, he should be in the conversation of Cowboys who can thrive in any of Parker's packages. That seems to be the hope of the new man in charge on defense, at least.