DALLAS — Christian Parker has never called plays in an NFL game. Ten defensive players joined the Dallas Cowboys this offseason, and two more arrived in trades within the past year. Owner and general manager Jerry Jones said Tuesday morning on the Shan & RJ show on 105.3 The Fan that none of that worries him.
Parker is 34. He spent two seasons on the Philadelphia Eagles defensive staff before Dallas hired him to replace Matt Eberflus, who lasted one year. Mike Zimmer lasted one year before that.
Jerry Jones On Christian Parker’s Record
Jones has compared this defensive turnover to 1989, his first year with the franchise.
“If you look at the specifics, you don’t win many games on your record,” Jones said. “Your record indicates what you’re capable of if you’re a coach. But what you look for is what he’s doing now, what he’s doing with the talent we’ve got right now. We’re pretty familiar with that talent, and what that talent needs is what he’s bringing to the table. Communication, the right kind of communication, the right kind of tone setting with expectation. And he’s got the team believing that what he’s trying to do is something that they as individuals can execute on. He’s got a great bunch, a can-do bunch.”
Dallas finished 7-9-1 last season and allowed 511 points.
New players relative to last year are already showing leadership, in Jones’ read.
“That’s been a major plus,” Jones explained. “That has been sort of lacking, but the communication, the continual talking it up with each other, really trying to execute, understanding what you’re executing, and then basically making those changes on the run.
“All of those things are what I think we’ve been short of that we’ve really, I see happening out there,” Jones added. “And I saw it in California in training camp. I think it’s going to be the major adjustment, that between the players themselves, making those adjustments, getting in the right spots. But coordinating that.”
Jerry Jones On What He Told The Dallas Cowboys Defense
Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark are two of the four captains players voted for 2026. Dak Prescott and Brandon Aubrey are the others. Williams came over from the New York Jets in November 2025. His extension runs three years and $105.9 million, through 2030. Clark came from the Green Bay Packers in August 2025 and has 38 career sacks.
“I told all of the players, rather than say I came in and I helped this defense with what I did, there’s a difference when you can say I helped build it,” Jones said. “I helped put it together right before our eyes.
“I was a part of building that defense that ultimately, if you will, became a Super Bowl defense,” Jones continued. “All of these guys on defense have a chance to say this is my defense, I was a part of getting here, I was a part of building it. And you can see that attitude out there.”
Dallas signed Von Miller in free agency last month, traded for edge rusher Rashan Gary in March, and used the No. 11 overall pick on safety Caleb Downs. The Cowboys added Cobie Durant, Jalen Thompson, Dee Winters, and P.J. Locke in free agency, drafted edge rusher Malachi Lawrence in the first round, linebacker Jaishawn Barham in the third, and defensive end LT Overton at No. 137 overall, and return 2025 second-round pick Donovan Ezeiruaku.
Williams has 41.5 sacks in 105 career games and was a first-team All-Pro in 2022. Four straight Pro Bowls have followed.
Pro Football Reference lists the Cowboys in a 3-4 alignment, at plus-3000 to win the Super Bowl with an over/under of 9.5 wins.
After the Giants come the Washington Commanders and Baltimore Ravens. Then the Houston Texans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Green Bay Packers. The Ravens game is in Rio de Janeiro.
Parker’s first regular-season game is Sunday. Kickoff against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium is 7:20 p.m. CT on NBC.
