FRISCO, Texas – Now what?
First things first: Hiring a new defensive coordinator, the sixth time in eight years throwing a hook into the deep end, likely only once over the previous four hirings being happy with their catch.
Now, Rod Marinelli was a good catch. But after six productive seasons, his time ran out with a defense ranked No. 9 at the end of the 2019 season. That's when the Cowboys, after an 8-8 season, jettisoned head coach Jason Garrett following his nine-year reign.
Then comes Mike Nolan, new head coach Mike McCarthy's hire. Chalk that up to a false start in 2020. Couldn't stop the run, giving up 158 yards a game and allowing what was then in the 16-game season a franchise-high 473 points.
Then comes former Falcons head coach Dan Quinn, a welcomed improvement. And while ranked fifth defensively in 2024, the Cowboys still struggled stopping the run in the playoffs, though might have continued with Quinn if not for the Commanders hiring him as head coach.
Then arrives former Vikings head coach and Cowboys defensive coordinator and longtime assistant Mike Zimmer (1994-2006). The defensive struggles continue, giving up 468 points, the most in a franchise 17-game schedule at the time. Out the door goes Zimmer, along with McCarthy, after the 7-10 season.
And finally, here comes Matt Eberflus, a noted defensive coordinator after spending seven seasons as the Cowboys linebackers coach (2011-17), and then the previous three as the Bears head coach. Matters grew worse, the Cowboys giving up a franchise-high and 2025 NFL-high 511 points. Out the door, if for no other reason than bad optics in head coach Brian Schottenheimer's first season.
But after a 67-minute, end-of-season press conference on Wednesday, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones finally cut to the defensive inability chase:
"In my opinion, (Eberflus) had to overcorrect trying to make up for deficiencies. And we all thought that probably we were going to be better at corner rather than we had because of the (DaRon) Bland injury and because of (Trevon) Diggs' overall situation. He was, in my mind, not physically, for most of the year, the same Diggs that we had seen in the past.
"And we had some pretty inexperienced situations out there, and we could have gotten better at corner. But the No. 1 thing, though, when we lost our nickel last year (Jourdan Lewis in free agency), we thought we could put Bland in and out, kind of getting him going back and forth (at slot corner). He wasn't quite as suited getting inside and being on the nickel as we thought he would be, and so that was a little planning that didn't work out.
"So that's excuses, but that's my reasoning."
So here we are, five days after the conclusion of a 7-9-1 season, back-to-back losing seasons. And watching playoff games two consecutive seasons from home since 2019-20 and for only the second time in back-to-back seasons since missing out from 2010-13.
And nobody is happy.
Now it's back to the defensive drawing board, especially since the Cowboys produced a playoff-caliber offense, finishing No. 1 in total yards (391.9 a game), No. 1 in passing offense (266.3) and No. 4 in points scored (27.7) despite quarterback Dak Prescott only playing the first half in the final game of the season when on pace to score 28.3 before the game.
They already are throwing out the promised wide net fishing for that sixth defensive coordinator in eight years, having scheduled three candidates for initial interviews:
- Vikings defensive pass game coordinator Deronte Jones.
- Browns safeties coach Ephraim Banda.
- Broncos defensive pass game coordinator/assistant head coach Jim Leonhard.
But here are a couple of complications with these three candidates: The current defensive coordinators for the Vikings, Browns and Broncos are interviewing for head coaching jobs, which raises the possibility of those teams wanting to retain these prime candidates for their own defensive coordinator positions. Denver's DC Vance Joseph already either has been interviewed or is scheduled to be interviewed by seven of the eight teams looking for head coaches. If Joseph should get one of those jobs, might Denver head coach Sean Payton be interested in promoting Leonhard to become his defensive coordinator?
Same with the Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, the Ravens already requesting permission for a head coach interview. Might Minnesota consider promoting Jones, their pass game coordinator?
And in Cleveland, also looking for a new head coach, there are reports out there saying the Browns are interviewing their defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz for their vacant head coach position. If Schwartz should get that job, might he simply want Banda to be his right-hand defensive man?
Leonhard appears to have an in, knowing he was playing for the Jets during Schottenheimer's term as offensive coordinator. The Cowboys sure could also pick Payton's brain on Leonhard, who has been on his staff the past two years after DC coordinating experience for five seasons at Wisconsin and a 2022 interim head coach role.
Interestingly enough, all three of these candidates' coaching proficiencies are in the secondary, Banda and Jones having played and coached cornerbacks and Leonhard a former safety and having coached the secondary. Add two of the guys being pass game coordinators, a sure plus.
And what position did Jones specify in need of repairing? Cornerback, right? And we could make a case for the Cowboys drafting a corner with one of their two first-round draft choices. In addition, bringing along youngsters like Shavon Revel, Reddy Steward, Caelen Carson, Trikweze Bridges and Josh Butler to help current corner/secondary assistant David Overstreet will be a high priority.
But when looking at this defense overall, and not sure if demands could be made during the interview process, but if it were me – ha, and it's not – my priority to Jerry and Stephen Jones, along with Schottenheimer, would be for you guys to draft me a cornerback in the first round or sign me a starting quality one with experience in free agency; draft me a pure middle linebacker; and re-sign me unrestricted free agent Jadeveon Clowney, or at least acquire me another veteran starting quality defensive end in free agency or draft me another Donovan Ezeiruaku.
Because at defensive end right now, other than Ezie and James Houston, who did not start even one of the 17 games he played (27 percent of the snaps), without Clowney and having lost the late Marshawn Kneeland, the only other two defensive ends to finish the season on the 53-man roster were Dante Fowler and Sam William. Along with Payton Turner, who finished the season on IR/Designated Return, they all three are unrestricted free agents. That's it.
Sure don't need another season of, as Jerry said, having to "overcorrect" because of roster deficiencies, either organic or caused by injury. The Cowboys must do the next defensive coordinator a solid by restocking this team's defensive personnel and almost assuredly needing to sign the next DC to a multi-year guaranteed contract, especially if the chosen candidate is giving up a current job to sign with the Cowboys.
Plus, when searching for defensive coordinator qualities, so many are overemphasizing the Cowboys having pointed out during their press conference that being a good "communicator" and "teacher" is of utmost importance. Come on, nothing new there. That's the definition of every coach out there, no matter the sport, whether a head, coordinator or position guy. Part of the job description.
Having said all this, now then, just give the next guy a fair chance.
