Christian

Parker

Cowboys DL coach Aaron Whitecotton is “drawing interest” from the Titans as they search for a defensive coordinator under new head coach Robert Saleh. Rather than waiting to find out if Whitecotton leaves, the Cowboys are proactively starting their own search for his potential replacement. ESPN’s Todd Archer notes that Dixon coached the Broncos’ defensive line from 2022-2023, while new Cowboys DC Christian Parker coached Broncos defensive backs.

The deal was finalized shortly after multiple national and local reporters said that the Cowboys were ready to bring him aboard. Parker, 34, has studied under Eagles DC Vic Fangio, in his current roles, for the past two seasons. He spent the 2022-2023 seasons as the Broncos’ defensive backs coach, notably working under Broncos DC Vance Joseph in his second season with the team.

Parker will interview with the Cowboys on Wednesday before heading straight to Green Bay to interview for the same defensive coordinator position. Viewed as a “rising star” in many inner circles, Parker appears to have a good chance at his first defensive coordinator gig at the NFL level.

It looks like the Cowboys are gearing up for the second phase of their defensive coordinator interviews, this time in-person. They requested Parker a few days ago initially. Parker with join Jonathan Gannon and Daronte Jones as in-person interviews with the Cowboys.

ESPN’s Todd Archer notes that Parker is the seventh known candidate for the position. Parker interviewed for the Saints’ defensive coordinator vacancy last year, after his first season in his current roles with the Eagles. He previously coached the Broncos’ defensive backs from 2021-2023.

Newly-minted head coach Kellen Moore continues to bring in familiar faces. Like former Chargers head coach Brandon Staley, who worked with Moore in 2023, Parker and Moore served on the Eagles’ championship coaching staff this season. Moore has been a defensive backs coach for the last four seasons and was hired as the Eagles’ DB/pass game coordinator last season after previously working with the Broncos from 2021 to 2023. He played a key role in reshaping an Eagles secondary that ranked among the worst in 2023 to one of the best in 2024 and ultimately proved capable of shutting down Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in the Super Bowl. If he’s hired, this would mark the first time in his career that Parker has served as a defensive coordinator.

Parker, 32, has been on the Denver coaching staff since 2021 and would become the league’s youngest coordinator if he lands the New England job. While the Patriots’ offense was a disaster in 2023, their defense was elite by most measures, including against the run. In Denver, Parker coached a Broncos secondary allowed the fifth highest drop back EPA and was graded by Pro Football Focus as the league’s second worst coverage unit.