The Dallas Cowboys are hoping to completely transform their defense this season after a complete disaster a year ago. Much of their faith is put in the hands of a coaching staff that has been completely remodeled, starting with new defensive coordinator Christian Parker. Fingers are crossed that these fresh new minds can help stitch together a winning formula and keep opposing offenses from marching up and down the field.
Coaching is a huge part of it, but some are questioning if the Cowboys have
enough talent to carry out the plan. After the team moved on from Micah Parsons last year, the defense has been starving for a new sackmaster, and fans have sat helplessly watching star after star get traded, with none of them going to The Star. It’s left some envious of the Myles Garrett trade and continuously daydreaming about landing someone like Josh Sweat. There’s this lingering concern that while the improvement might be there, the team still lacks a legit stud to get after the quarterback.
Could it be possible that the Cowboys already have enough tools to create a dominant front? Teams don’t always require a superstar and can get away with a collection of talented athletes paired with the right coaches who know how to maximize them. Dallas has quietly assembled a talented group of sharp-minded defensive coaches to go along with a very capable group of trench soldiers. The only question that remains is whether their new teachers are capable of turning these raw physical gifts into the production needed to get off the field on third down.
The ace up the sleeve for the Cowboys might be their new pass-rushing consultant, Brandon “BT” Jordan. A former offensive lineman, this young coach has a strong understanding of how to make blockers uncomfortable. He is a certified pass-rushing guru who has built a strong reputation through his private company, Trench Performance, with a client list that includes the biggest pass-rushing names in the NFL, including Garrett, Parsons, Maxx Crosby, and T.J. Watt. He’s now transitioned into full-time roles with NFL teams, with his latest stop being Dallas.
The team’s new pass-rushing ace is already receiving praise during OTAs as the Cowboys’ top trench warrior, Quinnen Williams, had good things to say about him.
“I think I can be better at pass rushing. I think I can change up some of my game, change up some of my footwork,” Williams said. “Having BT Jordan here is a blessing, for sure, because he’s one of the best in the business at perfecting pass rush, and I know definitely I need that.
Jordan’s last stop was quite impressive, transforming a middling Denver Broncos pass rush into a dominant force during his two seasons with them. The Broncos led the league in sacks in each of the last two seasons, setting new franchise records each time. Despite not having any high-profile players, he turned a collection of guys into one of the most feared pocket-collapsing groups in the league. The same four players were their top sack guys, with each of them recording at least seven sacks in each of the last two seasons. Nik Bonitto is the name most know, while Jonathon Cooper is the “who’s this guy” seventh-round wonder who showed up and started wrecking things. The wild thing is that none of their four sack leaders were selected within the top 60 players in the NFL draft. None.
The Cowboys enter the new season, not with just one or two or three, but six defensive linemen who were all taken within the top 60 players of their respective drafts – Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark, Rashan Gary, Donovan Ezeiruaku, Malachi Lawrence, and Sam Williams. Their baseline talent is good. Now, Jordan’s primary task will be elevating these guys from merely good pass-rushers into consistent, unstoppable pass-rushing threats. How’s he going to do that? I’m glad you asked.
Before we look at some specifics, it’s important to understand the key principle of his pass-rushing teachings. Essentially, he wants his guys to attack, using every limb on their bodies to keep the attack going, countering every attempt to slow them down. He’ll structure those attacks based on an individual’s strength to create a full-speed attack from every rusher. Everyone wins, and the pocket is destroyed. That’s the end game.
For his pass-rushing pieces, if you’re a power guy, you’re going to be an elite power guy. The same goes for the finesse rushers. The speed guys will learn how to position themselves to corner the edge at maximum velocity. Teaching them to exaggerate their lean and drop their center of gravity will give them the tools they need to slip underneath a blocker’s punch and reduce the chances of slowing down. Again, it’s all about relentless energy. Never slow down.
He’ll use rhythm deception by working in sudden cadence changes. He trains rushers to adjust their foot speed at the point of contact, freezing linemen in their tracks. This sudden hesitation forces the blockers to lock their feet and launch their hands prematurely, leaving themselves unbalanced. While the lineman hunkers down for a battle, the pass-rusher continues to flail about viciously. Never stop fighting.
While handstriking is at the top of any pass-rushing coach’s syllabus, Jordan loves to synchronize those strikes with effective footwork. He teaches that heavy, aggressive hand placement has little value if the lower body isn’t working in unison. By making sure every swipe has accompanying rapid feet movement, he helps his guys keep gaining toward the quarterback without stalling out. Never stop pushing forward.
Mental discipline is also very crucial. Some high-energy rushers are periodically punished by their own aggressiveness (cough, Sam Williams, cough). Through specialized diagnosis drills he’ll help improve their ability to crack blocking schemes instantly, and stay the course rather than just being eager edge defenders who over-pursue and run themselves out of the play. Never get lost.
The Cowboys might not be making any big blockbuster trades this offseason, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t been busy fortifying the trenches. Between the intriguing draft pedigree sitting there on the roster, combined with the arrival of proven teachers on the new coaching staff, there are many reasons to be excited about unlocking the potential with this group. The team has quietly built something, and it might surprise people just how much of a pass-rushing force they’ll bring to this upcoming season.
Check out this great video from Akoye Media if you want to watch his collection of pass rushers bring the heat!
