FRISCO, Texas – For the last three seasons, the Cowboys have been trying to find improvement on the defensive side of the ball.
Through eight games in the 2026 season with their fourth defensive coordinator in as many years, Dallas is still looking to find consistency on that side of the ball, amplified by Dallas' Week 8 33-30 overtime loss to the Cardinals where the defense gave up four straight touchdown drives to end the game.
"There is a pretty, let's say strong, look at what we're doing on defense relative to rebuilding," Jones said on 105.3 The Fan Tuesday. "We have not been the defensive team for several seasons that we want to be. Beginning at the start of last year, we've started on the process of rebuilding that defense. And of course, we have had a turnover in our head defensive coaches. That's part of it…"
"What you pay the price on, the experience has been, is when you are improving, you can be inconsistent. Now that's an overused word this week, but it is right in keeping with when you're trying to build something."
Jones added that the team had been making the changes they've made under the premise that their offense would be able to help navigate some of the growing pains. Dallas returned all 11 starters after their explosive 2025 season, but haven't been able to get off to a similar start this year.
The Cowboys knew that making their fourth defensive coordinator change was going to come with it's challenges, and it has so far this season. Still, Jones believes in the trajectory of Christian Parker's unit and does not think there is a need for widespread changes on the coaching staff.
"We've been changing," Jones said. "We've changed out on our defense, we've changed out our coaching staff, complete coaching staff. We've changed out the majority of the players, really. And in today's building of a team, you do it with a combination of draft, which draft picks have to have a little seasoning most of the time."
"And therein lies the inconsistency that we're seeing, even within a game where we played so well in the first half and came back and didn't play as well in the second half. That is a disappointment, but not a surprise… It does not call for massive, or not massive, it does not call for very succinct, important changes because I like the way we're trending."
What makes Jones like the way the defense is trending?
"I think it's better by what you saw Sunday in the first part of the game," Jones said. "I think it's as good as we've good in any time in the last several years. But I also know that it's looking that way with the future in mind that we can get better. And we are getting better."
The NFL's trade deadline is in seven days. At 3-5, Jones says the Cowboys are not interested in being "sellers" at the buzzer.
"We like what we put together," Jones said. "For now, in the unique situation for each player for the future, I'm really pleased with what we've done, progress we've done."
Jones held to his stance from prior weeks that the Cowboys are still open to making an addition to their team, if the right offer comes across the table. To this point, it has not.
"Everything, everything, depends upon the deal," Jones said. "You see today, you see movement for some consideration of some very key players that still have their, going forward, the long term of their future up for debate… At this particular time, I don't see anything."
