After one week of practices in Oxnard, California, the Dallas Cowboys are quickly turning grief into relief when it comes to their defense. Following a complete overhaul of both the coaching staff and roster, this revamped unit boasts a completely different identity, and there are already several standouts demanding our attention.
While it is still early in training camp, the collective excitement surrounding the new regime is already translating into tangible, high-energy results on the practice
field. Here is what we learned about the Cowboys’ defense during week one.
Trenches
Rashan Gary has brought a fierce veteran presence to the defensive line, showing why he’s such a good fit for Parker’s defense. As a dirt-pinning 4-3 guy, he’s been giving Terence Steele fits attacking with a full-speed rush, disrupting the tempo. He’s also shown his stand-up 3-4 versatility running down receivers along the outside. He’s always attacking and already forced a fumble during the first practice of training camp.
Another edge earning high praise early is Donovan Ezeiruaku. Most importantly, he’s been fully cleared after rehabbing from hip surgery. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer has indicated that he looks like the Ezeiruaku of old after reviewing the film of day one, revealing that he had three would-be sacks during the team’s first practice.
Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark have looked good together and are proving to be a formidable force along the interior defensive line. Their strength and athleticism have made it difficult for the offensive line to gain any traction in the running game.
Middle
The linebacker group is very interesting as the coaching staff is throwing all kinds of tests at them. They challenged their leader by cutting the communications in DeMarvion Overshown’s helmet to see how he could handle a high-stress situation, and he passed with flying colors. Parker has been rotating first-team reps between Dee Winters and Jaishawn Barham, using staggered looks alongside Overshown. Winters will move back in coverage while Barham is more of a creeper at the line of scrimmage.
Barham has been coming on stronger with each new day. Sometimes he steps up and attacks the backfield, while at other times, he’ll slide back into coverage. He had a nice pass breakup on Saturday, preventing a completion to CeeDee Lamb over the middle. This versatility allows Parker to keep their intentions secret until the last minute.
Parker is also trying to get a better feel for what he can do with linebacker Marist Luifau. There’s been a lot of talk about moving him around, and based on the first week of practice, they’re walking the walk. Literally. Luifau is walking around, moving to different spots, sometimes on the same play. He’ll start inside, then walk down to the outside like he’s going to attack the quarterback, only to bounce back to middle linebacker before the ball is snapped. It’s unclear where this will ultimately lead, but Parker is trying out stuff.
Secondary
The cornerback hierarchy put Shavon Revel Jr. as the odd man out in the first couple of practices, but he found more action on Saturday. DaRon Bland and free agent Cobie Durant have been primarily handling the boundary spots, but this isn’t a knock on Revel Jr., as the veterans have looked really good.
The best bit of news is that Bland is moving well, showing no lingering effects of his foot injury. On one rep specifically, he read the play well, planted his foot in the dirt, closed quickly, and cleanly got around Breyvan Spann-Ford for a nice pass breakup. That’s a sight for sore eyes. And the news of Durant shouldn’t be tossed aside. He is smothering receivers, not biting on fakes, showing how he could be one of the team’s sneakiest best acquisitions this offseason.
Revel Jr. had a rough time dealing with George Pickens, but to be fair, everyone is having a rough time with Pickens. While the team’s talented wideout has been hauling in contested catches, at least we can say they’re being contested. Revel Jr. has been draped all over him, so that’s promising, but the veteran receiver is putting the young corner through the wringer.
Oh, Caleb Downs. How do we love thee? Let us count the ways. It’s fun to watch a guy who has elevated expectations live up to the hype. The rookie safety is right in the thick of things, hanging with wideouts, dropping down in the box, or strolling back to cover deep middle. He’s everywhere. His fluid movement is fun to watch, but so is his focused energy. He’s always so ready to make the play and was there to pounce on the Gary punch-out for a nice fumble recovery. He did get humbled on one play when he learned that CeeDee Lamb might be a little better in the slot than he is right now, but overall, the rookie is moving well, dialed in, and off to a promising start.
While the rookie gets all the attention, the veteran Jalen Thompson is doing some impressing of his own. Right from the get-go he was diagnosing looks from the offense, shouting out last-second adjustments, and then flying sideline-to-sideline when the ball is snapped. Thompson sat out of practice on Saturday as he was nursing a hip injury, as did P.J. Locke, who is dealing with a knee injury from earlier in the week. This opened the door for Markquese Bell to see a little more action.
Overall, the defense has looked good with the challenges they’ve faced. The defensive line has packed some punch and shown some explosiveness, the linebackers are demonstrating some much-needed versatility, and the safeties continue to impress, providing a lot of optimism for this group. The excitement in Southern California is undeniable as this multiple, hard-hitting defense continues to build something meaningful. So far, so good for Parker’s troops.
