It’s hard to believe the Dallas Cowboys biggest strength on defense is at defensive tackle. For the most part, the team has avoided developing the position outside of players like Jason Hatcher and Tyrone Crawford. Both had solid seasons but never consistently reached an All-Pro level. Jay Ratliff has been the name fans have been chasing for years since he left in 2012.
Now, more than a decade later, the Cowboys have not one, but three solid defensive tackles that could reshape how we view the defense in 2026. Looking at the two teams in the Super Bowl, there’s a common theme between them centered around the heart of their defensive front—the ability to generate pressure.
It’s not just the two teams in the Super Bowl, either. The Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle duos were in the top four in pressures at their position. So, where did the Cowboys’ defensive tackle trio finish in pressures? Depending on which site you look at, “pressure” may be recorded differently. Looking at Pro Football Focus, Osa Odighizuwa had 52 pressures (sixth among all DTs), Quinnen Williams had 51 (seventh), and Kenny Clark had 44 (15th). Dallas was the only team to have three in the Top 15.
When Williams first arrived in Dallas and played in the Monday night game against the Las Vegas Raiders, he reminded people how dominant he could be at the position. Towards the end of the year, things around him started to break down quickly, so he became less effective as a result of the secondary letting him down. The same goes for Odighizuwa and Clark.
Having dominant defensive tackle play won’t automatically punch the Cowboys’ ticket to the big game next season, but it certainly separates the good defenses from the great ones right now. There’s a trend across the NFL: teams are trying to find talented players at that position. The quickest path to pressuring the quarterback is up the middle.
Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy have set the tone for the Seattle Seahawks, but having Devon Witherspoon, Coby Bryant, and Nick Emmanwori covering things up on the back end allows them to be even better. Having Mike Macdonald as the defensive mastermind doesn’t hurt either.
When Christian Parker was hired, many said he was considered one of the brightest defensive minds. If the Cowboys want to build around their defensive tackles, he’s a great guy to have on staff, given the success the Philadelphia Eagles have had with Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter. A healthy offseason for Shavon Revel and DaRon Bland will hopefully get them back to their full potential. Sprinkle in a few moves during free agency to plug some holes and draft a few difference makers in the first round with 12 and 20, and the Cowboys defense looks markedly better than where it ended up this season.
There are a lot of “ifs” right now, but the blueprint has been laid out by the Seahawks and the New England Patriots. Build from the inside out on defense with talented players, and good things tend to happen. The Cowboys already have a few building blocks in place. They just need Parker to be the architect who helps finish the job.