The Cowboys swapped out all but one of their most important offensive position coaches, but it’s a defensive assistant who’ll have the most impact on the team.
The Cowboys announced their 21-man coaching staff on Friday.
The staff has eight new coaches, including four on offense, two on defense, one on special teams and one on the strength and conditioning staff.
The most important addition to the Cowboys’ staff is passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach Kris Richard.
That’s because the Cowboys believe the former Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator the past three seasons can have big impact on their collection of young defensive backs and their scheme.
Dallas expects second-year defensive backs Chido Awuzie, Jourdan Lewis and Xavier Woods to each have larger roles in the secondary as they did as rookies. Plus, they hope Richard can impact safety Byron Jones, whom the Cowboys are considering moving to cornerback.
The Cowboys need their broken passing game fixed, and they hope receivers coach Sanjay Lal can help make their current group better route-runners.
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Tight ends coach Doug Nussmeier has been an offensive coordinator at Alabama, Michigan and Florida. Perhaps, he can bring some college concepts to the Cowboys’ offense.
And they think offensive line coach Paul Alexander can help in the running game and get all five starters on the offensive line to play to their pedigree.
The most intriguing new member of the offensive coaching staff is Kellen Moore, who entered training camp last year as Dak Prescott’s backup.
Now, he’s coaching Prescott.
Keith O’Quinn will be promoted from assistant special teams coach to the man in charge of that unit. He’s been an assistant special teams coach for four seasons.
Ben Bloom is in eighth season with the Cowboys and he’s being promoted to linebackers coach two years after being demoted to assistant coach/special projects.
He replaces Matt Eberflus, who is the new defensive coordinator with the Indianapolis Colts.
