The perfect nickel for new Cowboys defense
The Cowboys have done a lot of work this offseason to supply new defensive coordinator Christian Parker with the tools he needs to succeed. Rashan Gary and Otito Ogbonnia give the team much more beef on the defensive line than they’ve had before; corners Cobie Durant and Derion Kendrick have both held down starting roles in the past in similar schemes; and safeties Jalen Thompson and P.J. Locke both have direct experience with coaches on Parker’s staff.
There is one position that Parker has listed as the most important when he first spoke to the media: the nickel. In Parker’s scheme, the nickel defensive back is the ultimate hybrid role. The defensive game plans are often built around the nickel, and having a good one is the difference between good and bad defenses. In his introductory press conference, Parker explained the traits he needs in a nickel:
“That guy, you know, he’s a corner sometimes, he is safety sometimes, he’s a backer sometimes. He’s a defensive end when he’s blitzing. You want to have a guy who has natural instincts and ability to feel the game and play football. He’s usually a guy who if you were playing football on a Saturday afternoon, the neighborhood, he’s your 1st round draft pick. Just because he feels the game naturally. That’s definitely an important guy to a good defense.”
One of the reasons why the Thompson signing was so brilliant is because he held that role, or a form of it, for the Cardinals the last few years. Head coach Jonathan Gannon ran a variant of the Vic Fangio scheme that Parker has studied under, and Thompson was a bit of a chess piece that moved around the defense. That said, he was at his best playing in a traditional deep safety role.
In bringing in Thompson, the Cowboys have someone who understands the defense already and can play that nickel spot if needed. Ideally, Parker would play Thompson back deep alongside Malik Hooker (or Locke, if Hooker struggles to pick up the nuances of the new scheme). But if Dallas can’t find a serviceable nickel in this year’s draft, they can rest easy knowing Thompson will do just fine in the role.
The good news is there are multiple options in this draft.
Ohio State’s Caleb Downs has the skill set to thrive in Parker’s defense as the nickel, but the consensus top safety seems unlikely to be available at the 12th overall pick. That said, one other rangy defensive back is very much in play: Dillon Thieneman.
The Indiana native originally committed to play for Purdue as a middling 3-star prospect. Playing in a more traditional single-high shell defense, Thieneman was almost exclusively used as the centerfield safety in two years as a starter. He flashed his ballhawk skills as a freshman, picking off six passes. He also showed his physicality, leading the Boilermakers in tackles both seasons.
That helped him enter the transfer portal as one of the top available defensive backs, and Oregon snapped him up. Head coach Dan Lanning, a Kirby Smart acolyte, plugged Thieneman into a ranging hybrid role in the Ducks defense. He played a majority of his snaps lined up in the box, but spent ample time aligned deep and in the slot.
Thieneman finished in a close second on the team in tackles, leading all defensive backs in run stops. He also snagged two interceptions and posted an 80.4 passer rating when targeted; for comparison’s sake, Reddy Steward led all Cowboys defensive backs this year with a 99.5 passer rating.
Oregon moved Thieneman all over the defense, and he thrived in that role. He was able to help stuff the run as an extra linebacker or drop into deep coverage or take on a slot receiver in man-to-man coverage. By nature, Oregon didn’t send Thieneman on many blitzes, but he did record four pressures and a sack on eight pass rush reps, according to Pro Football Focus.
Thieneman’s draft stock is in flux right now. He was a borderline first-round pick a month ago, but Thieneman showed out at the NFL combine, running the sixth fastest 40-yard dash of any defensive back and posting a 9.71 Relative Athletic Score. That’s drawn extra eyeballs to his résumé, and Thieneman is rising up draft boards.
Before the combine, Dallas would have been accused of reaching if they took Thieneman at 20. Now, not so much. Thieneman would immediately fill the most important position in the Cowboys’ new scheme.
Post a Comment