FRISCO, Texas – The "eyes" have it.
Not to be confused with those affirmative voting "ayes."
We're talkin' peepers here. What you're seeing. What you're processing. What you know.
Uh, see, and that is an intentional double entendre, herein providing the answer to exactly what Cowboys new defensive coordinator Christian Parker prioritizes in his defensive scheme. Which, for this past week, has become pretty plain-and-simple clear when searching for exactly what his defensive scheme might be.
And this has nothing to do with formations. You know, whether that be a 3-4, 4-3, 4-2-5,5-1-5, whatever combination of defensive linemen, linebackers and defensive backs are out there on the field. This has little to do with playing man-to-man defense or zone. Playing Cover 2 or Cover 4. Or this Cloud or Shell coverage. Whatever.
Here is what has become readily apparent with the free agent moves the Cowboys have made in the secondary by signing:
Safety Jalen Thompson: 3 years, $33 million, $22 million guaranteed, $4.6 million cap hit.
Cornerback Cobie Durant: 1 year, $4 million.
Safety P.J. Locke: 1 year, $3.97 million.
The Cowboys, and more specifically Parker, are looking for veteran players. Guys who know their way around the NFL block.
They (he) are looking for smart players, these conference calls over the week suggesting that has become a primary prerequisite over size, length or arm measurements.
They are prioritizing, and here we go, guys "seeing" the field. Just knowing how to play football instead of foot speed or how high they can jump or just what their draft status had been, undrafted not even withstanding.
And suddenly when finding those traits, "versatility" becomes a common thread around here these days, be the player a safety, a cornerback, a deep safety, a slot safety on the nickel, an outside cornerback or a slot corner.
Catch my drift?
If hard of hearing, listen up.
"I think (versatility) is super important because since the game of football nowadays, you got to be able to play in space," Locke began. "Safeties have to be able to cover. You got to be able to tackle in the open field. Depending on the scheme, you got to be able to blitz, hit the run. So all those things are important in the game of football nowadays. Man, how much it has just evolved. So yeah, I mean, I think versatility is super, super important."
Or take this from the eighth-year veteran Thompson, when asked about his exceptional football IQ, saying, "I mean, coming into the league that was the biggest thing for me. It was just being vocal as a safety, making sure that everybody knew where to go, where to be aligned at. And my job as a safety is to know what everybody else's job is on the football field. So I feel like with me bringing that to the football team and to the defense, we can only elevate and go up from there."
Those are the safeties. Now from the fifth-year cornerback Durant, all of 5-foot-11, 182pounds. The inside-outside man, when asked what has allowed him to be so successful, was not one bit hesitant to respond, "I'd say just the preparation of it. Early on in my career, I just felt like I was playing with just athleticism. As the years go by, of course, coming from an HBCU, the game was up to speed a little bit for me. But now it has slowed down a lot, and I just understand a lot more, understand formulations, understand what's going on, understand what the person next to me is doing. And it just allowed me to be in position to win whether I'm on the outside or inside."
Bless the know-how.
And if you think about it, the defensive deficiencies this past season – when the Cowboys set a record high for points allowed and overall were just abysmal on defense, totally negating this team's playoff potent offense – had a whole lot to do with communication problems. Or guys not buying in to what they were supposed to be doing when playing man or zone in the secondary.
Seems at times there was a knowledge deficit. Details were not straight.
Again, listen to the undrafted Locke, entering his seventh NFL season and having begun his career in Denver when Parker was a defensive backs coach for three of his seven seasons:
"I also think we got the right DC, which is CP, to do that because my attention to detail is… the reason why you're not a good defense is because a) you don't have the players, and b) is because you might not be as detailed as you feel like you are in certain situations. You have to be able to lay everything on the table, everything on the table, and know, man, if we get this situation, we get this formation, this play, this is how we're going to treat it.
"And I've known CP long enough to know how much he watches film. And he had to dig through years and years back to certain OCs to figure out, man, these are the plays they like versus this type of coverage or this type of defensive front. So I think we're right in that category. And he's real good about getting the players that he needs and knows fit his team."
Again, right kind of guys.
Too many times this past season there were busted coverages. Why come? Bad communication? Bad preparation? Or as Locke suggests, "Don't have the players"?
Then there were excuses of players not buying into the style of defense, seemingly opposed to playing zone, suggesting their man preference. Now look, not seen any personal interaction between Parker and any of the players, and because of NFL offseason regulations, that likely doesn't take place until mid-to-late April.
But let me predict this: There will not be any more of that B.S. this year. If listening to these new guys or guys still here paying close attention, there is a new defensive sheriff in town. And judging by the personnel influence Parker already has exhibited over the types of players being brought in and the value being placed on previous personal relationships, all better get onboard.
Plus, the Cowboys already made an addition by head coach Brian Schottenheimer's Christmas night subtraction of Trevon Diggs, the last of the corner's selfish acts sending him out the door with one game remaining.
As it stands now, Thompson is a versatile safety, one capable of playing back, playing close to the line of scrimmage for run support, play coverage in the slot. Same for Locke, plusadd proven special teams capabilities from his game. And as for Durant at corner, he just wants to play – inside, outside, name it. Heck, go ask him. He'd play linebacker if told to.
Pair all that with a healthy veteran cornerback in DaRon Bland, now healthy second-year corner Shavon Revel, a healthy Josh Butler and Caelen Carson, more experienced second-year corner Reddy Steward, second-year corner Trikweze Bridges and veteran safeties Malik Hooker and Markquese Bell, why, this secondary could become, uh, a "primary" part of this defense.
And don't forget, free agency is just two weeks in. And, oh yeah, there is a draft coming up in a month. Choices are wide open.
Just remember going forward the type of player the Cowboys are looking for, what Parker is looking for, and it's not all about numbers. Because there are no numbers on heart. No numbers on ability to learn. Just previous demonstration.
If you need a reminder, one more time, do yourself a favor and listen up once again.
"I think CP is like, his attention to detail, man," said Locke, again as a voice of experience. "CP hates gray area, and I think from my own experience with that, I hate gray area as well. I need to know what to do in this situation. We get this motion, if we get this formation, if we get this play call, what do you want us to do? What are you looking for?
"And the gray area just kind of creates miscommunication. It creates, like, you playing slower, not being able to process stuff. So he's just really big on detail, teaching you the IQ of the game. He's a technician in that type of way. How he goes about teaching his techniques. So that's everything that I love as a player, and it is a reason why a lot of people gravitated toward him. And also, he demands a lot out of his players and wants the best for you."
Gray area is one thing. Gray matter is entirely another around here these days. Eliminate one, add more of the other.
In other words, during this defensive renovation, all that just might allow the Cowboys to, as Thompson said, "Create our identity and show that it's not the same defense from last year."
Good gosh, they dearly hope not.
