Cowboys’ Caleb Downs already picking up multiple positions in Christian Parker’s defense

August 6, 2026 · Yahoo Sports

Visit mchezo.co.za for more information.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Cowboys’ Caleb Downs already picking up multiple positions in Christian Parker’s defense appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Caleb Downs is one of the newbies with the Dallas Cowboys, but he is already one of the biggest names on the roster. Of course, the offense has the likes of Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, but Downs may very well be the biggest name on the Dallas defense before even playing a snap.

Coming into the NFL, one of the big talking points around Downs was what position he would play in the pros. During his time at Ohio State, he excelled at safety while also coming down into the box and making plays consistently against the run and in coverage.

It looks like that versatility is translating to the NFL level. During his first training camp with the Cowboys, Downs has been starting in the nickel but is also getting plenty of reps at safety. On Wednesday, defensive coordinator Christian Parker talked about the prized rookie soaking in the information needed to play multiple spots, via Jon Machota of The Athletic.

Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)

“He’s very willing. He’s very curious,” Parker said of Downs. “He’s managing both positions well. … He’s really embracing what we want to do with him and overall as a defense.”

The Cowboys had one of the worst defenses in all of football last season, and Downs and Parker are the two biggest names that have been brought in to fix that problem.

Dallas is very excited to have Parker calling the shots on defense after he built up his credibility as one of the best secondary coaches in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles. Now, Jerry Jones will be hoping that Parker can rejuvenate that defense heading into the season.

As for Downs, the Cowboys are hoping that he can be the dynamic playmaker in the secondary that they haven’t had in recent years. Outside cornerback is still expected to be a weakness in 2026, and while they addressed their safety need by signing Jalen Thompson in free agency, Downs is the one with the most potential in that group. From the sounds of it, he is ready for the responsibility as a rookie.

Read full story at source