New Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker confirmed that Dallas would be moving away from the 4-3 defense they have run for more than a decade.
“The first thing is we’re going to be multiple,” Parker said (via team writer Tommy Yarrish). “So our core principles, we’ll be a 3-4 by nature, but 4-3 spacing will be appropriate, 4-2-5 in nickel, different front structures, coverages behind it.”
The Cowboys last ran a 3-4 under Rob Ryan in 2012. They moved to a 4-3 when head coach Jason Garrett and defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin were hired in 2013 and kept that base system under three more head coaches and five more defensive coordinators. But Parker’s history under Ejiro Evero, Vance Joseph, and Vic Fangio, who all run 3-4 schemes, was a clear sign that Dallas would not retain the 4-3 in 2026. Hiring dedicated inside and outside linebackers coach – which is more common for team that uses a 3-4 – was another indicator.
However, Parker emphasized the importance “being multiple” and tailoring his scheme to his personnel. Modern defenses need to be flexible against the NFL’s ever-changing offensive schemes, which has precipitated the rise of hybrid systems like Parker’s.
The magnitude of the difference between the NFL’s two dominant defensive schemes has waned in recent years as teams switched to nickel personnel on a plurality, if not a majority, of plays. Technique, spacing, and strategy – particularly the interplay between first- and second-level defenders – are still key distinctions. But especially with his intent to build around his roster, Parker should not have too tough of a task in transforming the Cowboys defense into his vision for the unit.
Well, there was that Mike Nolan experiment in McCarthy’s first year. The Cowboys tried a lot of 3-4 looks that worked terribly, mostly because their personnel were totally suited for the 4-3 base that Marinelli ran to great success. Nolan’s defense eventually started getting takeaways later in the year, but the personnel and complex system ultimately did not work.
Joseph has worked in 4-3 schemes in the past if I recall (like Cincy), but his great success now with Denver’s 3-4 is much more recent. Most defenses these days barely run their base defense, but the role of the edge players is usually consistent in most defenses. You’re probably not going to have your 300 pound 3-4 lineman with his hand in the dirt on the edge when you switch packages (though you certainly could). I think in today’s NFL, a good differentiator in defensive philosophies is how the edge rushers use their stance and where they line up on most plays. That’s a big element to me in distinguishing different schemes, moreso than the classic base defenses that used to separate them.