The Dallas Cowboys have found their replacement for Matt Eberflus, agreeing to terms with Eagles passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach Christian Parker to be their new defensive coordinator.
Parker will be the Cowboys' fourth coordinator in four years, and with how much the defense weighed the team down in 2025, fans are hoping Jerry Jones got this one right.
Parker has been absorbing knowledge from some of the best coaches in the game today, most recently Vic Fangio. Players he has mentored range from Patrick Surtain with the Broncos to Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean on the Eagles.
Now with the Cowboys, many are hoping Parker can turn around a defense that has talent but is searching for an identity. These players, in particular, will benefit the most from Parker now being their defensive coordinator.
3 Cowboys who will benefit the most from Christian Parker
1. DaRon Bland
The Cowboys have committed to Bland long-term, and many hoped he would get back to form this season. Coming off back-to-back foot surgeries, there is concern that the investment won't pay off. Even when Bland was healthy this year, he was inconsistent. It was a far cry from his All-Pro 2023 season.
With the new DC being a former defensive back and having coached players at that position for almost half a decade, Bland should benefit a lot from Parker's leadership. He typically likes defensive backs who can jam at the line of scrimmage, so Bland will have to get used to that element of his game.
With the turnover on this defense following the departures of Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs, Bland needs to emerge as a leader heading into 2026. That’s where Parker’s influence could be felt immediately.
2. Osa Odighizuwa
Like Bland, the Cowboys rewarded Osa Odighizuwa with a sizable payday last offseason. After adding Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams, Dallas arguably boasts the best defensive tackle room in football. While Clark and Williams are proven veterans, Odighizuwa still has room to grow.
Odighizuwa showed flashes as a pass rusher last season, but Dallas needs him to take the next step in 2026. Fortunately, Parker brings a coaching style that meshes well with a deep defensive tackle rotation. Fangio is known for deploying five-man fronts, and the Eagles leaned heavily on multiple defensive tackles throughout the season.
Eagles interior defenders Moro Ojomo and Jordan Davis combined for 10.5 sacks in 2025. Not having a dominant pass rusher off the edge did not hurt Philly in getting back to the playoffs.
Since the Cowboys don't currently have an intimidating EDGE presence, Odighizuwa's development will matter a lot in 2026.
3. Shavon Revel
Dallas was excited to get Revel on the field this season, but the results weren’t overly encouraging. He struggled in coverage and looked out of place when injuries pushed him into a starting role. The silver lining is that Revel is basically still a rookie, giving Parker plenty of runway to develop him.
Parker had success in Denver and Philadelphia coaching bigger corners. Being 6'2" and having the physicality to match up against bigger receivers, Revel's tools are a good match with Parker.
Now recovered from a torn ACL suffered in his final college season and a full offseason program in front of him, the future is all in front of Revel. As of right now, he would be the other starter opposite of Bland.
While the Cowboys will still need to address cornerback this offseason, having Revel in place and fully healthy should appeal to Parker as he comes in. This entire group must improve in pass coverage, and Revel is at the forefront of that need.