Dallas Cowboys agree to terms with Philadelphia Eagles assistant Christian Parker as defensive coordinator

The Dallas Cowboys found their man for defensive coordinator. After starting their search with nine potential candidates, they have agreed to terms with former Philadelphia Eagles secondary coach Christian Parker.

Count it as a win. The Cowboys stole Parker from a division rival, where he worked under Vic Fangio and his top-five defenses for the past two seasons.

Unlike the Cowboys, Philadelphia's secondary has thrived in recent years.

Despite not having any play-calling experience, it's clear the Cowboys front office saw a glaring need for change after giving up the most points they've ever allowed in a season in franchise history under former defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus.

In Parker, the Cowboys went with their youngest candidate; he is only 34 and has been coaching in the NFL since 2019. It stands in contrast with their other defensive coordinators over the past decade; Eberflus, Mike Zimmer, Dan Quinn, Mike Nolan and Rod Marinelli were all previously NFL head coaches.

At his season-ending press conference, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones stated two specific qualifications that were not requirements for the next defensive coordinator, and that proved to be true: "No, it's not a requirement to have been a head coach, and yes, it's possible to have a first-timer."