Dallas has a new sheriff in town.
Newly appointed Dallas defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus' tenure in Chicago was a rollercoaster. Will the seasoned coach bring the circus or stability to the Cowboys' defense?
The Dallas ownership wants the Cowboys to play a particular style of defense. Commanders Head Coach Dan Quinn, former defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, and now former Bears Head Coach Matt Eberflus are squarely rooted in four-down defensive structures. Quinn favored Cover 1, Zimmer was more multiple but static, and Eberflus ran mainly Cover 3 in Chicago. Still, all are based in a four-down Over Front.
The hiring of Matt Eberflus signals that the Cowboys want to stay relatively the same on defense. Eberflus is not new to Dallas or how the Joneses do business. His second job in the NFL was under Rob Ryan's (AHC/LBs USC) tenure as the Cowboys' defensive coordinator (2011).
When Ryan was hired as the DC in Dallas, he brought Eberflus with him as the linebackers coach from Cleveland. Two more seasons passed, and Ryan became the Saints' DC in '13. Legendary coach Monte Kiffin would become the new defensive coordinator.
Kiffin is widely recognized for using the Tampa 2 coverage system, which he helped create with Tony Dungy. This transition from Ryan's 3-4 defense to Kiffin's 4-3 system significantly impacted Eberflus' career.
The principles of Kiffin's scheme in Dallas influenced Eberflus' defenses in Indianapolis and Chicago. Under Eberflus, the Bears employed a 4-3 defensive scheme primarily focused on zone coverage. Although the term 'Tampa 2' suggests that the defense utilizes Cover 2 on most plays, that is not entirely accurate as the chart above illustrates.
Most teams that use the Tampa 2 defense are based in a Cover 3 scheme. In essence, Tampa 2 is a modified version of Cover 3, with the Mike linebacker acting as a 'pole runner' through the middle of the field into the Deep Thirds. This movement enables the Safeties to defend the Deep Halves above the outside receivers.
One of the weaknesses in Cover 3 is the soft area in the flats. Tampa counters this by playing the corners in that area instead of dropping deep into their 'thirds.' In recent years, more Tampa-based defenses have been using non-traditional rotations, making it harder for quarterbacks to decipher the coverage. Above is an example of 2-Roll versus the Seahawks.
Eberflus does utilize Tampa 2 on passing downs, but on early downs (first and second), the Bears lived mainly in Cover 3. Chicago ran the 14th most snaps of Cover 2 in the league last year but the second most snaps of Cover 3, only second to Gus Bradley’s Colts’ defense. I expect this trend to stay in Dallas. At this point in Eberflus' career, there probably won't be wholesale change, and his scheme fits what Quinn and Zimmer are installing in Dallas.
For most of the past two seasons, the Bears have had one of the better secondary units in the NFL. CB Jaylon Johnson was a second-team All-Pro, and Nickel Kyler Gordon is widely considered one of the better Slot defenders in the league and is a menace when blitzing (above). Last season’s blockbuster trade for Commanders' DE Montez Sweat gave the Bears' pass rush some juice.
Still, significant issues arose in both seasons, with last year resulting in Eberflus ultimately being fired as the head coach. One area of concern that also hits close to home in Dallas is the lack of a run defense that popped up in the back half of last season. Conversely, the run defense in '23 had the Bears as one of the best units exiting that season.
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Eberflus’ 4-3 defense relies heavily on the defensive line's ability to be disruptive. Cowboys’ Edge Micah Parsons should continue to be one of the better pass rushers in the NFL in Eberflus' system. Dallas can protect him using newly re-signed interior defensive linemen (iDL) Osa Odighizuwa within their front structure. The question will be, who plays opposite Parsons as 'Tank' Lawrence is set to hit free agency at 33?
For years, the Dallas defense has struggled with the lack of a true Nose Tackle in the middle. Earlier in the '24 season, Eberflus' Bears' defense was one of the best in the NFL at stopping the run. However, when iDL Andrew Billings' season ended in Chicago's Week 9 matchup with the Cardinals, the run defense cratered, leading to a significant decrease in production that fueled a defensive collapse in the Windy City. From Week 10 to Week 14, the Bears experienced the sharpest decline in defensive performance across the league.
Dallas will finally need to get a gap-protecting Nose, though. Eberflus’ defense needs it, as illustrated by the decline in Chicago after the Billings injury. Hopefully, his pedigree as an established coach will convince the front office (namely Jerry) to get one.
Unlike Quinn, who wanted to use line stunts to create penetration and confusion, Zimmer and Eberflus tend to be at the bottom of those metrics. Defensive linemen hold gaps in the interior and keep the second-level (LBs) clean. If they do stunt, it is usually because the defense is blitzing or attempting to close the B-gap bubble when playing Cover 2 (#98 above).
Parsons will need to be active in the run fits for Dallas to be successful. Last year, the All-Pro Edge ranked 36th in Run Havoc per Field Vision, higher than Montez Sweats' rating from the past two seasons. Outside of using Parsons’ individual skill set as a pass rush, Eberflus will blitz, though it tends to be below the league average.
The ‘spider’ chart above details that most of Eberflus’ pressures typically have five rushers. Eberflus’ Cover 3 scheme allows him to use all four intermediate players near the box, even blitzing the Down Safety off the edge (above). 74% of the Bears’ pressures were of the five-man variety, above league average. Like Quinn and Zimmer, Eberflus did not run many simulated pressures or a blitz that only rushes four defenders, with an Edge typically dropping into coverage.
The linebacker position has also been an issue. Dallas is only one year removed from not having a healthy veteran LB on the roster. Eberflus is a long-time linebacker coach known for developing players at that position. As Quinn did in Washington (Wagner/Luvu), Eberflus will want to solidify that position quickly once free agency opens.
Free Agent LB Eric Kendricks was a ‘Zimmer guy.’ Eberflus favors more athletic linebackers who can run and hit in his zone-centric system. Current LB DeMarvion Overshown fits that athletic mold, but look for Dallas to bring someone to pair with him. Several options in this year's free agent class fit the mold of ‘coverage’ LB to pair with Overshown’s ability to blitz and rush the passer as Dallas’ hybrid off-ball LB (a current trend in the league).
» Here are some options that fit the Eberflus profile and are under 30:
» If Dallas is looking for more of a run stopping presence, these two fit the mold:
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One area where the transition from Zimmer to Eberflus should be smooth is in the secondary. Though Dallas played a majority man coverage under Quinn and high volumes under Zimmer, both starting CBs play mostly off-ball, meaning they don't press at high volumes. Travon Diggs and Daron Bland are two of the best off-ball defenders at their position. The former is rumored to be trade bait heading into the draft.
The Cowboys have been unable to get them to play together for several years. Dallas hopes they can finally have them on the field together, which would be a boon for Eberflus and the Cowboys' defense. Eberflus utilized Johnson's off-ball skill set in Chicago to make him an All-Pro. Both Diggs and Bland have the potential to thrive in a system that wants them to play the ball and use their ball-hawking ability.
There is also a glaring need at Nickel, which I’ll hit later. Jourdan Lewis was adequate this season but is headed to the wrong side of 30. Eberflus needs an active run fitter in that position, not a coverage-first player. Lewis was ranked the 17th-best zone coverage CB in Field Vision’s Havoc Ratings, but finished 81st in run support. That won’t cut it in Eberflus’ base Nickel defense.
» If Diggs is traded, here are a few options that fit Eberflus’ coverage schemes:
**The 49ers Charvarious Ward and the Jets DJ Reed are options, but they come with hefty price tags that Dallas may not want to pay. » Update: Ward is now a Colt & Reed signed with the Lions.
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At the Safety position, Dallas has been utilizing a primary 'Down' and a 'Post' positions since Quinn's tenure, and this approach will remain the same under Eberflus. Safety Donovan Wilson will play a role similar to the Bears' Kevin Byard, often lining up close to the line of scrimmage and in the slot.
Meanwhile, Malik Hooker will continue to serve in his role as the Post Safety, playing deep in the same function that Jaquan Brisker primarily occupied for the Bears. Although both Safeties may occasionally align near the box and play deep in Eberflus' Tampa 2, they will have distinctly different responsibilities from down to down.
The Bears ranked fifth in the NFL in their usage of zone coverage, primarily deploying Cover 3. Despite having a background as a 'Tampa 2' defensive coach, Eberflus is firmly focused on closed-post coverage. He even chose to utilize a majority zone coverage even though he had two CBs, Johnson and Tyler Stevenson, who can play man-to-man on most downs. While the Cowboys have performed well in man coverage over the past few years, Dallas will likely see a significant increase in zone coverage this season.
With free agency starting this week, let’s look at who the Cowboys might bring in to shore up their defense. The Dallas defensive roster shows four primary needs heading into next year: Defensive End, Nickel, Nose, and Linebacker.
Here’s who fits the mold of what Eberflus wants in those positions, which aligns with the Cowboys’ cap situation and need to get younger. Owner Jerry Jones mentioned that the Cowboys will not be active in free agency but recognizes they must fill holes. Plus, a looming Parsons contract will eat into the overall cap number for this year. I’ve kept this in mind. All players are under 30, have a lower cap number, and have the potential to play above their pay scale in Eberflus’ defense.
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Free Agency Targets
[Signed with the Panthers] Bobby Brown III/iDL (Rams): Brown played in over 40% of the Rams defensive snaps in 2024. He’s a true Nose and could rotate with ‘23 first-round draft pick Mazi Smith. Dallas needs stabilizing presence in the middle and even if Smith has a breakout season, the Cowboys need a veteran inside. Brown should come on the cheap as he was only the 86th best DT in Field Vision’s Havoc Ratings. Though the Rams gave up big numbers in the run game all year, Brown’s ability to stop still showed through. Brown would be a cheap rotational piece that can push Smith.
» Other Players: Poona Ford (Chargers) » Rams, Levi Onwuzurike (Lions), Teair Tart (Chargers) » re-signed.
Update: Here are some players that could be brought to Dallas in the second wave of free agency…
Raekwon Davis (Colts)
Folorunso Fatukasi (Texans)
Jerry Tillery (Vikings)
John Jenkins (Raiders)
Calais Campbell (Dolphins)
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[Signed with the Packers] Nate Hobbs/Ni (Raiders): Jourdan Lewis is headed to free agency and is on the wrong side of 30. The Cowboys still need a Nickel who can play near the box. With the transition from man-dominant to zone under Eberflus, fitting the run will be imperative. Hobbs was the fifth best run defending CB last year according to Field Vision, which makes him a perfect fit in Eberflus’ Nickel scheme. Though he is better at man coverage, matching up in the slot fits his profile. Over The Cap (OTC) has his ‘24 valuation at ~$2.6 million, which is relatively cheaper.
» Other Player: Mike Hughes (Falcons)
Update: It appears Israel Mukuamu will be the guy for now. He just resigned with a one-year deal.
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[Signed with Dallas] Jack Sanborn/LB (Bears): Sanborn was the third LB in Chicago, and with Dennis Allen (Saints) now the defensive coordinator, he was the odd man out. Sanborn excels at coverage and has gotten better at stopping the run. Many times in Chicago, he was asked to do the dirty work so the other two LBs could clean up the running back. Sanborn knows the Eberflus defense and would be a good partner for Overshown, who is elite at rushing the passer. The trend in the NFL right now is to pair a ‘box’ LB with a hybrid that can line up on the line of scrimmage as an Edge or blitz from off-ball. Sanborn and Overshown could easily be that duo for the Cowboys.
» Other Players: Jamien Sherwood (Jets) » re-signed, Elandon Roberts (Steelers) » Raiders
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[Signed with Texans] Darrell Taylor/DE (Bears): Another Bear hitting free agency. Parsons deal is most likely to break the back, and rightfully so. Dallas needs to find a replacement opposite Parsons. Losing Lawrence is probably a given because of his age and what he will want for a contract. Dallas can find production in Taylor, who had 9.5 sacks in ‘22. Lawrence was a dominant force in the run game when healthy. Taylor isn’t going to give the Cowboys the production on run defense that Lawrence did, no one is, but he can provide juice as a pass rusher. If Dallas finally decides to invest in interior line play, having a second-tier pass rusher opposite Parsons isn’t a bad idea. Especially one that knows the defense. He can be a solid rotational piece if they pair him with rising young players Sam Williams or Marshawn Kneeland.
» Other Players: Derek Barnett (Texans) » re-signed, Micheal Hoecht (Rams) » Bills, Josh Uche (Chiefs) » Eagles
Update: Donte Fowler (Commanders), was brought back to Dallas to replace Demarcus Lawrence.
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