Cowboys coach seemingly made a player highly unusual request
Isaac Alarcón is facing a very odd – and quite daunting – challenge in 2023 as he enters his fourth year with the Dallas Cowboys following three seasons as a member of the NFL International Player Pathway program: He'll switch from offensive lineman to defensive lineman. It's certainly not an easy task and the timing […]
Isaac Alarcón is facing a very odd – and quite daunting – challenge in 2023 as he enters his fourth year with the Dallas Cowboys following three seasons as a member of the NFL International Player Pathway program: He'll switch from offensive lineman to defensive lineman.
It's certainly not an easy task and the timing of it is another challenge in itself. No longer is Alarcón "protected" by a roster exemption as an international player. In other words, he counts toward the player limit and isn't guaranteed a spot on the practice squad either. This time more than ever, it's up to him to prove to the Cowboys he deserves a place on the roster or practice squad.
Yes. It has mission impossible written all over it. But Alarcón appears to have quite the sponsor behind him: Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.
In a media availability session available on the Cowboys website, Alarcón was asked how the whole idea of flipping positions came about.
"This is just what I've heard, but last year I remember being told when I wasn't getting a lot of reps on offense that Dan Quinn was telling my OL coach 'If you don't want Isaac give him to me," Alarcón told reporters.
In 2022, that OL coach was Joe Philbin, whose contract wasn't renewed in the offseason. It was already known that Alarcón had seen some playing time as a defensive tackle with the scout team but the fact that the Cowboys brought him back for the 2023 offseason is telling that they think he's worth a spot on the 90-man roster.
"The most challenging part has been improving my athletic level; I've had to lose weight and become more explosive," added Alarcón. "Adapting to that speed has been a key aspect."
Isaac's preparation started earlier this year, joining the ranks of private coach Brandon Tucker from Trench Warfare. Tucker spoke about the Mexican's preparation with A to Z Sports, indicating that the priority for him was to get Isaac to play with a low shoulder level.
"I understand how it looks and what the defensive player is trying to do," said Alarcón. "It's just a matter of my body making those adjustments."
