Like every other team, the Dallas Cowboys have bolstered their roster before the 2026 NFL season begins. Along with draft picks like Malachi Lawrence, the Cowboys also acquired more experienced players like Rashan Gary and Cobie Durant.

However, for ESPN's NFL analyst Peter Schrager, there are two standouts of the lot - S Caleb Downs and DC Christian Parker.

"Caleb Downs and Christian Parker are the biggest additions to [the Dallas Cowboys] this offseason," said Schrager.

The Cowboys struggled badly in 2025, allowing 30.1 points per game, and Downs was brought in to provide that added stability. With Downs, Dallas gets a premier young safety who is a Jim Thorpe award winner and is highly touted for his versatility and football IQ.

Parker, on the other hand, will serve as the defensive coordinator. Poached from rivals Philadelphia Eagles, he is expected to help Dallas become a Super Bowl contender.

Dallas finished last in points allowed last season so the picks make sense. Parker is now entrusted with curating the defense specifically to Dallas' needs.

As a matter of fact, Parker is already impressed with Downs.

Parker Praises Downs For His Ability To "Show Up"

Rookie DB Caleb Downs is arguably one of the most exciting players on the Dallas roster. He has the potential to become an All-Pro and a foundational player for years to come. His skills are well suited for Christian Parker’s variation of the Cowboys defense.

Parker had a chance to see what the safety was all about in the rookie minicamp and was impressed.

"He’s the same guy we saw on tape. He’s just an intentional person – consistent, really… I think a guy like Caleb, he’s a natural football player. He’s one of those first picks in the school yard, you know? He’s gonna have natural versatility, and [it’s] just a matter of what he can handle mentally, and how we fit everything together," said Parker during the rookie minicamp.

With Parker guiding him, the sky is the limit for Downs. After all, Parker comes from the legendary Vic Fangio lineage, who last won the NFL in 2024.

At present, Dallas is on track to get their defense up and running. And thanks to his personal pre-draft research, Downs already has some ideas about how Parker intends to use the Cowboys' secondary.

As Parker puts it, Ohio State coaches Tim Walton (secondary coach) and Matt Guerrieri (safety coach) visited Philadelphia to borrow some ideas from what the  Eagles were doing.

The Dallas DC stated that while there were differences in the Eagles' play style, the systems themselves had similarities. So, the techniques and ideology imparted wouldn't be totally unfamiliar to Downs.

Naturally, now all the Cowboys fans are waiting with bated breath to see what magic these two new additions bring to the field this season.

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Written by

Sourav Ganguly

Edited by

Arundhoti Palit