After watching their secondary get dismantled in 2025, the Dallas Cowboys are initiating a top-to-bottom reset, and new DC Christian Parker is already getting his first major reinforcement. The team moved on from Matt Eberflus and appointed Christian Parker as the youngest Defensive Coordinator in franchise history. Keeping that momentum going, they may already have decided on another coach.

“The Cowboys are expected to hire Packers defensive pass game coordinator Derrick Ansley,” according to CBS Sports.

To support Parker’s vision, Jerry Jones has aggressively recruited a high-pedigree staff with a specific focus on fixing the secondary. The team recently seems to have added Derrick Ansley to lead the defensive pass game and Ryan Smith to coach the defensive backs.

After a disappointing year that ranked the unit last in passing yards allowed and 30th in total defense, Parker arrives after a successful stint with the Philadelphia Eagles. Alongside Ansley, the coaches will be tasked with leading a complete rebuild centered on modernizing the team’s scheme and fundamental play.

Both coaches bring elite credentials: Ansley is a former Defensive Coordinator for the Chargers and Tennessee Volunteers who studied under Nick Saban at Alabama and quietly flew under the radar as an impressive talent. Meanwhile, Smith joins after developing one of the NFL’s stingiest pass defenses with the Arizona Cardinals. This concentration of secondary-focused talent underscores the Cowboys’ desire to eliminate the explosive plays that plagued them last season.

The organization is betting heavily on Ansley’s recent track record of production to spark a turnaround. During his time with the Green Bay Packers, he helped oversee a pass defense that consistently ranked among the league’s best, highlighted by a 2024 season in which the team forced 17 interceptions.

By pairing Ansley with Parker, who helped lead the Eagles to a Super Bowl LIX victory, the Cowboys are sending a “loud” message that they intend to transform their back end from a liability into a primary strength for the 2026 season.

This defensive shift is expected to extend beyond the coaching staff and into a significant roster reconstruction. The Cowboys are expected to be aggressive in free agency and will lean heavily toward defensive prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft. 

The Cowboys’ defensive overhaul takes shape

With the NFL Draft roughly 80 days away, the Dallas Cowboys are being linked to one of the most exciting defensive prospects in college football. NFL analysts and draft experts have identified Ohio State star Caleb Downs as a potential first-round target for a Cowboys defense that is entering a major transition period.

Under new defensive coordinator Christian Parker, who was recently hired away from the Philadelphia Eagles, the team is looking to overhaul a secondary that struggled significantly against the pass last season.

Downs is widely regarded as a generational talent and is currently ranked as the top defensive player for the 2026 class. Experts believe his versatility is his greatest strength, as he has the rare ability to play as a deep safety, a nickel defender, or a physical presence in the box. 

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Many scouts view him as the potential centerpiece for Dallas’ new-look defense, citing his elite football intelligence and physical tenacity as the perfect match for Parker’s aggressive scheme.

Before becoming a standout for the Buckeyes, Downs began his collegiate career at Alabama, where he was the first freshman in program history to lead the team in tackles. He transferred to Ohio State following the retirement of legendary coach Nick Saban and has since dominated the Big Ten. Last season, he was a machine on defense, racking up 82 tackles (the third-most on the team).

He even took home the Jim Thorpe Award, officially naming him the best defensive back in the country. He also excelled on special teams, posting a high average on punt returns.. His biggest highlight was a massive 79-yard touchdown against Indiana, which was the first time a Buckeye had scored on a punt return in ten years.

He played so well that he actually finished in the top ten for the Heisman Trophy, but now he’s ready to leave college ball behind and head to the NFL. When it comes to the upcoming season, it is fair to say that Dallas is going for a full-scale reset. With Ansley on the sideline and Caleb Downs on the radar, the Cowboys are swinging big to turn their biggest weakness into a loud statement.