Cowboys Continue Defensive Staff Overhaul with Key Interviews Lined Up
The Dallas Cowboys are wasting no time reshaping their defensive coaching staff under newly minted coordinator Christian Parker. With several positions still open, the team is moving quickly to round out the group - and two more intriguing names have entered the mix: former Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr and Cardinals cornerbacks coach Ryan Smith.
Orr, who was in the running for the Cowboys' defensive coordinator job before Parker landed the role, is now being considered for another position on the staff. He brings a blend of familiarity and upside.
Not only does he have ties to head coach Brian Schottenheimer from their time together with the Jaguars in 2021, but he’s also a local product - born in DeSoto and a graduate of North Texas. That connection to the area, coupled with his NFL experience, makes him a strong cultural and professional fit.
Orr recently interviewed for the Chargers' defensive coordinator opening after parting ways with Baltimore, where he spent the last two seasons leading a unit that consistently played with physicality and discipline. While his time as DC in Baltimore ended, his coaching stock remains high, and Dallas could be the next stop in what’s shaping up to be a promising career.
Ryan Smith, meanwhile, is a rising name in coaching circles. After spending nearly a decade in the college game, Smith made the jump to the NFL in 2023 with the Arizona Cardinals.
Though his NFL coaching résumé is still young, his college track record is solid - including a three-year stint under Curt Cignetti, who just led Indiana to an undefeated national championship season. With Arizona in head coaching limbo, Smith has been cleared to explore other opportunities, and Dallas is taking advantage of that window.
These two interviews are part of a broader effort by the Cowboys to retool their defensive staff. Since Parker’s hiring, the team has cast a wide net, bringing in a mix of experienced NFL coaches and rising assistants. That list includes former Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen, Steelers outside linebackers coach Denzel Martin, Eagles assistant linebackers coach Ronell Williams, and Vikings defensive line coach Marcus Dixon.
Along the way, the Cowboys have made some tough decisions, parting ways with several assistants. Gone are pass game coordinator Andre Curtis, cornerbacks coach David Overstreet II, and linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi. Defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton has also exited, taking the same role with the Tennessee Titans.
At the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones gave a glimpse into the team’s timeline.
“The goal would be by the weekend,” Jones said Tuesday. “Could it linger?
It could. We’ve had a lot of great visits, and we got a lot of guys who are going to be coming in.
We’ve made the next step that we want to bring them in here and get on board with them. Coach Schottenheimer and Christian will get in there and see what we can do with it, and hopefully we can get a lot of good coaches in here.”
The Cowboys know the stakes. After another season that ended short of expectations, the defensive side of the ball is under the microscope. With Parker steering the ship and a fresh wave of coaching talent on the horizon, Dallas is betting that new voices and new ideas can help push this group over the top.