The Cowboys spent the 2026 offseason trying to fix a defense that finished No. 30 overall and brought up the rear against the pass last season. That kind of collapse doesn’t get patched with one move, so Dallas attacked the problem from multiple angles: a new defensive coordinator in Christian Parker, a strong run through free agency, and an impressive 2026 NFL Draft class.
Parker is already getting plenty of attention, and for good reason. He has a track record of developing All-Pro defensive backs, which makes him a natural fit for a unit that needed a fresh start. But the quieter addition on the coaching staff might end up mattering just as much.
That’s Brandon “BT” Jordan, a respected pass rush specialist who has spent time working with some of the league’s best edge players. His résumé includes work with Myles Garrett, Maxx Crosby, and Von Miller. He also knows Rashan Gary and Kenny Clark from their days with the Green Bay Packers, giving him another layer of familiarity with high-end defensive talent.
Jordan’s path to Dallas has taken him through the Arizona Cardinals as part of the NFL Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship program, along with stops at Michigan State, the Seattle Seahawks, and the Denver Broncos. It was in Denver where his impact really stood out: during his two years there, the Broncos led the league in sacks.
Now he’s in Dallas, and the Cowboys are hoping that same kind of edge-rushing juice follows him.
That matters because the scheme is changing. Under Parker, the Cowboys are moving toward a hybrid 3-4 look, and players like Donovan Ezeiruaku, Sam Williams, and Marist Liufau are shifting to outside linebacker. That’s a big adjustment, and it puts a premium on coaching that can turn raw traits into consistent pressure.
Ezeiruaku sounded confident about what Jordan can bring to the room.
“The goal is always high,” Ezeiruaku said, via the Dallas Morning News. “We’re not going to talk about [numbers] just yet.
But, of course, we have our goals in our rooms, especially in our outside linebacker room. We brought in a guy like Coach BT Jordan, who’s done it in the past, helping rooms get off that hump.
He did it the last two years in Denver, so with that help, I think we have the room to do it, to produce a lot of pressure and get the quarterback on the ground.”
Dallas is banking on that confidence turning into production. After finishing with just 35 sacks a year ago, the Cowboys need more than a schematic tweak - they need the pass rush to show up. With Parker steering the defense and Jordan working with the edge group, the staff has given itself a real chance to change the story.
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