The Dallas Cowboys have made sure to change how their defense operates this offseason. It started when they hired Christian Parker as their defensive coordinator before continuing with the Cowboys' early wave of free-agent signings.
Even though they didn't break the bank to bring anyone in, America's Team still added to this defense. One player they signed was safety P.J. Locke, who has a history with Parker due to their time together with the Denver Broncos (2021-2023).
After those seasons, Locke knows what Parker expects from his players, hinting at the change that will happen in Dallas on Wednesday (h/t @jonmachota):
"(Christian Parker) hates grey area. The grey area creates miscommunication. It (makes you) play slower. He's just really big on details, teaching you the game. He's a technician in that type of way, how he goes about teaching his techniques. That's everything I love as a player. There's a reason a lot of people gravitated towards him"P.J. Locke, Cowboys safety
P.J. Locke Comments Show the Difference to Expect on Cowboys Defense
Locke continued to show his new coach love and revealed that Parker played a role in his development as a player.
"He demands a lot out of his players. He wants the best for you," Locke added. "There will be some days where it's tough. You have to have those tough conversations, which I had a bunch of those being young. And I can honestly say, he helped shape me into the player I am today."
While this may be perceived as just a new player hyping up his coach, Dallas fans should be excited.
The Cowboys parted ways with Kenneth Murray, Donovan Wilson, Logan Wilson, Kaiir Elam, and Trevon Diggs between last season and this offseason. It's clear they wanted some new voices on that side of the ball, since last year's results were unacceptable.
Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones' comments over the weekend further illustrate the defensive changes that needed to be made, adding to the reasoning behind the team's early moves.
"I'll tell you, when you have the challenges we had last year, there's no place to go but up on the defensive side of the ball... What we have set up for the draft, plus what we really have coming back from our veteran defensive players that really didn't play that much last year, injury issues, things like that, gives us a lot of promise."Jerry Jones, Cowboys GM/owner
Parker will make it a priority for these players to communicate constantly. That's one of the biggest areas where the top defenses excel. Without being able to communicate at a high level, things will fall apart, as fans saw in 2025.
The fact that Locke says Parker helped him evolve into the player he's become is a massive statement and shows how impactful he can be on this unit. In six seasons with Denver, Locke was a depth piece on one of the best defenses in the league, providing the Broncos with a core special teamer.
In 90 games, Locke has logged 174 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, 11 pass deflections, five forced fumbles, and four sacks. While his role with the Cowboys is yet to be determined, Locke's statements give an inside look at how the defense will be coached.
And after last season, that's a welcome sign for a Cowboys team looking to make a playoff push in 2026.