The Cowboys went into the offseason with the goal of improving their defense and one of the players they’ve brought in believes the team has taken the right steps to start that process.
Safety Jalen Thompson signed with the team as a free agent this month and said his prior relationship with secondary coach Ryan Smith from the Cardinals played a role in his decision to sign with Dallas. Smith will be working with the team’s new defensive coordinator Christian Parker, who has helped oversee an effort that has resulted in the additions of Thompson, defensive end Rashan Gary, safety P.J. Locke and cornerback Cobie Durant.
“I just feel like we have all the right pieces,” Thompson said, via Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “[Parker] puts the players in the right places. Players that have worked under him have been All-Pros. He brings that versatility to the defense where he puts guys in different places that do the right thing for the team. We got all the right pieces. We’re ready to go. I’m excited to get going with the guys and meet the others as well and create our identity this year as a defense. We got to show that it’s not the same defense as last year.”
Thompson mentioned Parker’s versatility and the safety has shown plenty of it himself by lining up deep, in the box, in the slot and elsewhere over the course of his NFL career. He said he’s open to playing “wherever they need me” on a Cowboys defense that needs to make a major step forward in 2026.
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