It sounds like the Cowboys may have already their new defensive coordinator.
According to NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero, the Cowboys are hiring Mike Zimmer to run the defense in Dallas next season. Zimmer will replace Dan Quinn, who left Dallas after three seasons to be the head coach of the Washington Commanders.
The #Cowboys are expected to hire Mike Zimmer as their defensive coordinator, per sources.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 9, 2024
Zimmer, 67, is the third-winningest head coach in #Vikings history and long respected for his defensive prowess. A big hire for Dallas, where Zimmer previously coached from 1994-2006. pic.twitter.com/jFq8KdIyNJ
Like Pelissero mentions, this won't be Zimmer's first stint as the Cowboys' DC. He previously held the same role for seven seasons, from 2000-2006. His best year in Dallas was 2003, when the Cowboys' defense ranked 1st in yards allowed, 2nd in points allowed, and 4th in net yards per attempt.
Most recently, Zimmer spent eight seasons as the Minnesota Vikings head coach – though he did spend a season as an analyst for Jackson State in 2022. While in Minnesota, Zimmer went 72-56-1, winning double-digit games three times. They won the NFC North three times during his tenure, making it as far as the NFC Championship game once, a 38-7 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2017. He'll inherit a Cowboys defense that, in 2023, was a top-10 unit against the pass but struggled significantly more against the run.