An annoyed CeeDee Lamb is telling you exactly why the 2026 Dallas Cowboys will be much better if you listen closely
CeeDee Lamb and Brian Schottenheimer just broke down what will make the Dallas Cowboys much better in 2026 by talking about the new defense in town authored by defensive coordinator Christian Parker.
It would be wildly optimistic, not to say unrealistic, to expect the Dallas Cowboys defense to go from one of the worst in the NFL to one of the best overnight. Even with the many player additions and the hiring of defensive coordinator Christian Parker, a rebuild will take time.
However, the Cowboys defense will be better. And wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is telling you why if you’re willing to listen closely.
CeeDee Lamb has a new annoyance
Lamb spoke to reporters after Thursday’s OTAs practice, and he touched on facing the new Cowboys defense. Specifically, he was asked about facing a scheme derivative of the Vic Fangio scheme known to give offenses the fits.
“It’s annoying,” Lamb said. “It’s been annoying to prepare against, but obviously seeing it in practice every day, it’s kind of unique seeing different guys communicate and being able to understand and take what they learn from the meeting room and easily translate it onto the field.”
At first glance, this is just another player complimenting his teammates. But upon further review, it’s much more than that. Lamb praising the communication of defensive players during OTAs is meaningful considering miscommunication was one of the top reasons for the Cowboys defensive struggles in 2025.
In early June, Parker’s defense appears to be ahead of the curve. It’s even more impressive when you factor in the new scheme is expected to be much more multiple and complex than Matt Eberflus’ line-up-and-play approach last year.
“It’s good to go against,” Lamb added. “It’s very tricky, but as an offense, we’ve just got to play fast and get to our spots.”
Schottenheimer’s words explain Lamb’s annoyance
Prior to practice, Schottenheimer broke down an aspect of Parker’s defense that can’t be overlooked. Essentially, it’s a scheme that makes quarterbacks “work post snap.”
“This system that (Parker) is bringing to us, based on what comes from Vic Fangio, Vance Joseph, and guys like that who have been involved in it, makes you work post-snap, and that’s a big part of it,” Schottenheimer said.
“The less movement the defense shows, the less information it gives the quarterback,” he added. “So he’s trying to process things after the snap, and that allows the pass rush to get home.”
The last part is crucial. As the Cowboys navigate life after the Micah Parsons trade, they’re not only betting on Rashan Gary, Donovan Ezeiruaku, and Malachi Lawrence. They’re betting on the scheme to give them more time by making opposing quarterbacks hesitate.
“You see teams like Denver that base out of this system get a number of sacks,” Schottenheimer said. “It’s not just that the pass rush is elite. It’s that the quarterbacks are confused and thinking, ‘I’m not sure if this is Cover 4, Cover 6, Cover 8, Cover 2, Cover 1, whatever it is.”
“I think that’s been really fun for me to see,” the Cowboys coach concluded.
He certainly hopes it won’t be fun for rival quarterbacks in the fall.