The Cowboys' defense was woeful last season under Matt Eberflus, and now that Parker is taking over, there's an urgency to get better.
A big reason for the hope and optimism currently surrounding the Dallas Cowboys is new coordinator Christian Parker.
With Parker's resume as a coach, coupled with what we've already seen/heard about him as a coordinator, not to mention the players he has at his disposal like Caleb Downs, there is a real thought that this Dallas defense will be better than last season.
Of course, to be better than last year won't be too difficult because under Eberflus, the Cowboys were one of, if not the worst, defenses in football. So the only way is up.
But how far up can this defense go?
We've seen some who have a desire to be just average, middle of the pack. Then we have analyst Rich Eisen predicting Dallas' defense will be a top-10 unit in 2026.
So, the buy-in to what Parker and the Cowboys are doing is real.
And for Parker, who spoke with DallasCowboys.com's Tommy Yarrish, the entire unit wants success, and they want it now.
"I think it's a very urgent group and a group that is hungry for knowledge and hungry for getting pushed, and they want to have collective success," Parker said. "We don't have any selfish guys. We have a bunch of guys who want to do it together. They want to learn."
But while there have been a lot of people jumping on the Cowboys' bandwagon due to Parker and the defense having Downs as its centerpiece, not to mention the other players brought in, there are still some who are tapping the brakes.
Let's not forget, Downs is a rookie, so there will be growing pains for him, and Parker hasn't called plays in the NFL before, so again, there'll be a learning curve.
Dallas just hopes it's not a steep one.
I've said that by Week 4 or Week 5 we should see exactly what this defense can be.
And Parker detailed what the term urgency means to him and his team.
"We're still in the undergraduate phase," Parker said. "We were in phase two, I was like, 'We're trying to figure out if the meal card works, where can I park for 15 minutes without getting towed,' all those things.
"Now, we're still in the freshmen and one-on-one level. We're starting to get to sophomore year, if you will. And then during training camp, we need to quickly be able to graduate with a master's degree in a five-year program. That's how we see the urgency."
So, the ramp-up process is going to be a quick one.
With the Cowboys now finishing OTAs, it's mandatory minicamp up next on June 16, and once that is completed, a short break before training camp begins in Oxnard.
And you better believe that by the time the team lands in Oxnard, Parker will be expecting everyone to be on point with their jobs, the scheme, and everything in between.
Because not only is there urgency from inside the building, outside, fans and media alike are eagerly awaiting to see this Cowboys team make it back to the postseason.
