The defense under Parker, it appears in 2026, won't be pushed around by one of the league's best offensive units.
The Dallas Cowboys, you could argue, have had perhaps the best offseason they could have had after the 2025 debacle.
The coaching hires, the draft work, free agency, and contracts have all been done in a timely manner; it has all been very un-Cowboys-like these past couple of months.
And now we are starting to see the fruits of that labor on the field.
Yes, I get it, it's OTAs and minicamp, or as our own Mike Fisher calls it, the Underwear Olympics, but there are hints that things are moving in the right direction defensively.
CeeDee Lamb stated it's annoying going against new defensive coordinator Parker, Dak Prescott acknowledged the unit is making things tough on him, and that is one of the better quarterback/receiver duos in football talking.
And as mandatory minicamp wrapped up, Dak once again gave a glowing endorsement of Parker's defense.
"They're playing with a lot of confidence," Prescott said. "You can just tell by the way they're communicating, whether it's walkthroughs, out there at practice, seven on seven, guys are taking ownership in what they're being asked.
"We've got great energy from not only CP, but the rest of the coaches. So it'll be a battle. They've got already gotten us in some of these days and OTAs, and the rush isn't even there. So once you let Quinnen (Williams), (Rashan) Gary, Kenny (Clark) and all those guys take off and put pressure on me, I'm sure it's going to be tougher, but it's an iron sharpens iron. Super excited about it."
So doing their thing on the field is a given, but whether it is due to Parker or some of the additions this offseason, the defense is walking with a little more swagger.
Granted, anything had to be better than last year, right?
But the fact is, Parker's defense isn't doing things quietly; they are making it known they are here for a fight.
And for Dak, he detailed that when it comes to verbal jousting, Parker's defense is giving as good as they get.
"A couple of those guys have already reminded and already warned me that, you know, it won't be as easy as last year or some camps that I've had in the past," Dak added. "So, just even that trash-talking or fire-starting is awesome."
We know that training camp will be the first real test of Parker's defense, and you better believe that once the practices start in Oxnard, that trash talking will go up a level because it is "real football," as Brian Schottenheimer called it.
So, while the actual football will be enticing, so too will be the verbal barbs thrown around at practice.
