Stephen Jones: Cowboys Want Defense Similar to Bill Belichick's with Patriots

When the Dallas Cowboys decided to part ways with head coach Jason Garrett and replace him with Mike McCarthy, it was about more than just postseason wins. The NFC East club is apparently looking at rebuilding its defensive philosophy under McCarthy's new staff. 

Cowboys COO and director of player personnel Stephen Jones made that much clear Friday when he spoke with K&C Masterpiece on 105.3 The Fan:

“You want to have flexibility, you want to have great players, you want to be able to scheme against the offense you’re going to play around. A perfect example of that and people who’ve had tremendous success is Coach [Bill] Belichick in New England in terms of how they scheme and how they use different fronts and different schemes in order to have success on the defensive side of the ball."

To help make that happen, the team signed defensive end Aldon Smith to pair opposite Randy Gregory up front. Both are working on getting reinstated after separate substance-abuse violations. 

New defensive coordinator Mike Nolan will also have DeMarcus Lawrence, Dontari Poe, Sean Lee and Chidobe Awuzie to work with. 

"Players will determine what we can do and what we cannot do, not the scheme," Nolan said after getting hired. "The scheme is basically what you have to utilize the players, it goes the other way."

A major part of the New England Patriots' success under Belichick is due to the coach's ability to identify and develop young talent like cornerback Malcolm Butler and linebacker Kyle Van Noy.

If the Cowboys aim to copy what Belichick has accomplished in New England, scouting will have to remain a cornerstone of their process—regardless of who is coaching.