Eberflus even proved incapable of maximizing the interior trio of Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark, and Osa Odighizuwa<\/a> after the Williams trade on November 4, which should have been grounds for dismissal in and of itself.<\/p>\n This, by the way, is how a team ranking eighth in Offensive DVOA winds up with a 7-9-1 record and no postseason.<\/p>\n Firing Eberflus in January was one of the easiest decisions Jerry Jones and Company ever made, and the move to replace him with former Philadelphia Eagles passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach Christian Parker is highly intriguing<\/a>. As a Vic Fangio acolyte, Parker is more than ready to drag this defense into the 21st century, with all the bells and buzzwords. Stunts as well as blitzes, multiple coverage concepts, and players who can perform different tasks at different positions. The defense will look very different<\/a> both in terms of personnel and concept.<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes we talk too much about scheme as coaches and players, and less about the play style,\u201d Parker said in February. \u201cWhat do we want that to look like? What are our principles of play? How are we taking on blocks, how are we tackling, how are we leveraging routes on the back end, and how are we talking the ball away? How are we situationally aware? I think that\u2019s where it starts from a Football 101 education standpoint. As we kind of put all that together, then you kind of get into the scheme.\u201d<\/p>\n Football 101 would be a massive improvement on that side of the ball, because Parker has a lot of interesting players to work with \u2014 and two of the new guys make our Hidden Gems piece, with one underrated veteran, one underrated free agent, and one underrated draft pick.<\/p>\n But as we look at the Cowboys\u2019 Secret Superstars for the 2026 season, we have to start with a buzzy guy in the receiver room.<\/p>\n Underrated veteran: WR Ryan Flournoy<\/p>\n ARLINGTON, TX – DECEMBER 21: Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Ryan Flournoy (19) catches a touchdown pass during the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Los Angeles Chargers on December 21, 2025 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Matthew Pearce\/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Icon Sportswire via Getty Images<\/p>\n CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens are obviously the Cowboys\u2019 top receivers, but Ryan Flournoy announced his presence with authority at times during the 2025 season in ways that grabbed some national attention. Nobody really expected that when Dallas took the 6\u20192, 205-pound Flournoy with the 217th pick in the sixth round of the 2024 draft \u2014 he had bounced from Central Missouri State to Iowa Western to Southeast Missouri State, where he grabbed 121 catches on 207 targets for 1,841 yards and 14 touchdowns over two seasons in 2022 and 2023. The Redhawks aren\u2019t exactly teeming with NFL talent from an alumni standpoint<\/a>, but Flournoy appears ready to ascend.<\/p>\n He had just 10 catches on 14 targets for 102 yards in his rookie season, but in 2025, as injuries to other receivers complicated things, Flournoy stood up. The first time we really saw it was in his Week 5 game against the New York Jets, when he caught six passes on eight targets for 114 yards. Then, in Week 14 against the Detroit Lions, Flouroy bombed Kelvin Sheppard\u2019s defense for nine catches on 13 targets for 115 yards and a touchdown. Capable of beating defenders with speed and route acumen, and with a knack for getting physical to get open in the timing of the down, Flournoy looked every bit an NFL receiver when given the opportunity.<\/p>\n The overall stat line was affected by opportunity \u2014 40 catches on 53 targets for 475 yards and four touchdowns \u2014 but whether in the slot or outside, and with a full route tree at his disposal, Flournoy proved his mettle in a very good passing game.<\/p>\n \u201cFor me, it was important just to step into a leadership role in the room,\u201d Flournoy said in June of his 2025 season<\/a>. \u201cCeeDee and GP, great guys. Phenomenal football players, I learned a lot from them. For them to miss [time], and for me to take the No.1 role, it was fun while it lasted. Just keep working hard, that\u2019s literally my whole mindset.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m just out there playing freely. I know what\u2019s on the play sheet, I know the calls, I know what play to run. For me, I\u2019m not out there thinking, I\u2019m just out there executing.\u201d<\/p>\n Underrated free agent: Safety Jalen Thompson<\/p>\n GLENDALE, ARIZONA – JANUARY 5: Safety Jalen Thompson #34 of the Arizona Cardinals defends in coverage during the first half of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers at State Farm Stadium on January 5, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brooke Sutton\/Getty Images) Getty Images<\/p>\n Okay, let\u2019s get to the defense. Specifically, how the safeties will be deployed in Parker\u2019s playbook. Fangio has been a master of defensive back utilization for eons, and Parker learned from the best. Now, with Caleb Downs as the obvious do-it-all guy<\/a>, and Malik Hooker as the established deep safety, it will be fascinating to see how the Cowboys use former Arizona Cardinals DB Jalen Thompson after the seven-year veteran signed a three-year, $33 million contract<\/a> with $22 million guaranteed, and a maximum value of $36 million.<\/p>\n Thompson has been effectively versatile throughout his NFL career, and even in a 2025 Cardinals defense that didn\u2019t always make sense, he remained a tone-setter. 43% of his snaps last season came as a single-high safety, 25% came as a slot defender, 18% as a box defender, and 14% came as a split safety. So, if you were to imagine Thompson\u2019s ultimate role as tying Downs and Hooker together, that might be the right idea.<\/p>\n Overall in 2025, the 5\u201911, 190-pound Thompson allowed 30 catches on 46 targets for 303 yards, 120 yards after the catch, two touchdowns, no interceptions, five pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 98.4. He also had one sack in just 15 pass-rushing attempts, 72 solo tackles, and 10 stops.<\/p>\n The tape was better than the metrics, especially in coverage. Thompson\u2019s ability to flash from the line of scrimmage into the deep third is likely something Parker will use with gusto, as it\u2019s an alpha trait.<\/p>\n \u201dA physical safety, a safety that can do pretty much everything,\u201d Thompson said in March<\/a>, when asked what he brings to the defense. \u201cI don\u2019t consider myself just a safety; a DB in general. Nickel, corner, free safety, strong safety, wherever they need me at, that\u2019s where I\u2019m playing.\u201d<\/p>\n This aligns with Parker\u2019s vision of multiplicity, and it helps that new Cowboys secondary coach Ryan Smith spent his last three seasons as the Cardinals\u2019 cornerbacks coach.<\/p>\n \u201cI used to go in there and watch film with him when they transferred me down to nickel a little bit,\u201d Thompson said of Smith. \u201cHe just brought the cool element to the game, the calmness of it all. Not really stressing about too much, just really going out there and letting your God-given talent do the job. [Smith] was a big part of my decision to come here. Great coach, great leader, and feel like I can make some plays underneath him.\u201d<\/p>\n Underrated draft pick: CB Devin Moore<\/p>\n![\"ARLINGTON,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/gettyimages-2252434281.jpg\"\/)
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