Darren Woodson: Why Caleb Downs Will CHANGE Cowboys' Culture

0:00We got to great Darren Wutzen here with us on deal us cowboys Second day of the 2026 NFL draft and most You're surprised. What's going on with your hand, man? I can't even what's what's going on No, I'm getting old, man Tunnel surgery just the other day I'm so sorry, man. I'm like, man, what is going on? But Real talk the Cowboys drafted. I would say a Darren Wutzen clone. I saw you at Tweet about the excitement for Caleb down last night Just talk about your excitement for Caleb down getting the safety safe. You've been a problem around here for a long time Yeah, I think it's more for the mental state and the culture of this team That's why I was excited because You know why I watch this kid played the last couple of years and I remember his first year in college and everybody's talking about him And that's kind of when I started to follow a little bit But all I heard was about his leadership

1:02capabilities and his willingness to stay after and sit down with coaches and learn the schemes and Find out where the weaknesses were like That's the part of it that really intrigued me about Caleb down Do you see a good tackler? Absolutely. Is it got to play as well in space? Yes, but Culturally this organization has needed someone to come in and be the general and be the quarterback of That defense for a long time and I think that's been the missing ingredient I think this team has been talented even back in the Roma days I think this team has been very talented as far as past rushers Good corners and all but it's that one guy's that that one little it factored that you need that's gonna hold Everyone accountable even to himself But who's gonna lie and people up and I've watched this team last couple of years and This team could barely get lined up right now They bus coverages right consistently that is I'm hoping that's the first thing that changes with this this new

2:07Edition of Caleb downs, you know, I just did an interview with him and he's just so impressive I mean impressive Impressive impressive young man Respectful and intentional says all the right things you talk about you know his leadership and it just exudes and he shows it You know they talking about talk to his dad Gary downs remembers you Played NFL and you know when he was a rookie when he got a team means he was sitting next to Nick Sabeman I used to call him a little Nick. He was sitting next to Nick Sabeman and just try to soak up every day from Nick and Copy his mannerism everything else you listen You just listen to talk to him and he answers questions But you're right as far as being a quarterback and Jerry Jones talked about me the quarterback of the defense coming in And he's gonna be one of the most cerebral players on the defense from day one and that's the thing that in addition to Been able to play the run and played deep and knocked the ball away and tackle those are the things that really stand out about him And that's why when Jerry Jones talked about him last night

3:10He talked he brought you up as a comparison because they're on the feeling off the field This guy's a really he's already taking real estate classes, okay, and he's been doing some real estate stuff And you know everything he does is intentional these soaks all soaks it all in and so you know Not just a great football player, but a great human being, but also a guy that's intentional in studies and a smart and a leader Those are things they talk about when they say this guy's another during what's him? Yeah, I like the real estate part too. That's what I do But yeah, look you're always looking for and I learned like here's the thing that the advantage that Caleb Downs had that I didn't have Like I came in the league. I was playing a linebacked position in college and I had to transition to the safety position And thank God I had three guys who really poured into me Ray Horton James Washington and Thomas Everett like they you didn't bust coverages with those guys They were so cerebral and understanding where everybody fit

4:13So I was able to learn I didn't even start my first year They just told me to you go cover the slot you go to cover this tie in and I'd do that job, right? And but I learned through them the first year and then the second year kind of grew into the role Mentally as a safety, right? Caleb Downs has been doing this since day one, right Right, he's already got the leadership skills, but he's been playing this position He kind of understands the ends and outs. You can only play a cover three so many ways or cover two so many way Like he understands that and I think he has a really good He has already has a foundation of knowing what he needs to do I had to grow into this thing, but I can't man. I'm I am so excited about the guy the player That's going to be in that locker room I'm excited about the guy in the offseason who's going to show up When everybody's back at home with training the way he's going to show up I got I got a quick story for you man this the other day last week I was in my office my office overseas of field right and yes who I who I look down who I saw

5:17Training in the offseason program with 20 other guys who probably weren't going to make the team, right? Who do I see Jack Prescott Jack Prescott Right down on the field 20 other guys who probably are not going to make this team, but in the offseason program That is the guy you need on the defense side of the ball, right? You know, it's crazy I'll see the program don't start to Monday. That's three program You know, it's not the next Monday. They didn't even start off since the program yet And he's only doing that and let me tell you don't show up for the pre offseason program when Jimmy was there and watch Michael Be there, right, right watching There like you know, that's who you were to be a champion. You know, we're so crazy Which I want to get you on the phone is it like Maybe you were before your time Okay I mean, you know how much money you be making right now The thing that stands out With Caleb downs and while the Cowboys covered him Christian Parker's covering him because he played a slot

6:18Here's a safety he playback, but he played a slot. You were doing that in the 90s, okay? But now they're finally value in his safety that can blitz That can tackle that can cover that can play down in the box that can playback But also cover the slot receivers and that's what makes him special That's why the Cowboys. I mean, he builds their dream pick when they talk about it deep as you want to pass But we want a guy that can play the slot a safety can play the slot and that's what downs is that's what you did in the 90s Yeah, but it allows you to do so much and be creative and disguising coverages when you don't have to bring a corner in like You know, half the time you bring a corner in they're gonna run the ball after cornerback, right? Because I know he got tackler when you have a guy like Caleb Downs or how I played it You know when I was playing in the 90s we just brought two safes in and I just covered the slot receiver Now it allows you to do so much so much in the disguise so much into one fits Like you're just an added linebacker in there is that can cover the slot receive

7:22There's so many things you know talk about multiplicity about they keep on hearing that term from them multiple He's able to multiply and be able to do so many things that helps you Navigate through there without showing your hand. I got to bring a corner back in you got a you know Playing this defense like now We're gonna they're gonna be able to Christian Parker's gonna be able to disguise He's gonna be show different looks. You're not gonna know if he's coming on a blitz If he's covering the slot, there's so many things that you can do and that that's what that's the advantage Yeah, I think I was before my time, but but you know Mike Zimmer and Dave Campo and Uh the head coach Jimmy Johnson knew exactly what they were doing Right, I'm glad you talked about multiplicity because when they caught me a force multiplier That's what he does the force multiplier because of all the things he's able to do High is gonna show up things on the defense get a smart guy last your guys running button naked wide open the secondary I know you I know you were pulling your hair out. I mean you ain't got much hair no more, but I know you was pulling your hair out

8:22Watching guys that button naked wide open the secondary yes Yes, and that's the biggest issue that I can get I think the first thing we're going to see is a defense that kind of settles down in itself Like they they they slow down a little bit because we've all we just been seeing this defense not line up in the right Formation or get beat on big plays because they don't have a guy in the right spot You know when I came to league Jimmy Johnson said look I understand you're gonna get your ass kicked one on one Everyone so much laugh they pay them guys too to be physical right said, but I will not I will never accept mental breakdowns right that is unacceptable That's the reason why I'm so hardened on the fact of like why you need to bring a leader in here You need to bring a dog in here right that knows how to line people up who hold you accountable Right knows that that's the guy you need I played with a guy played with those two guys those three guys I named earlier Right they they put that in me like I didn't accept that it was unacceptable for us to break a coverage

9:25unacceptable didn't happen And that's what they need now right no no now Watching that defense last year I'm disappointed was I mean it's just I mean they were one of the worst The secondary nobody got the hands on the ball. They in a certain body turn the ball over They let guys run wild open that didn't get to the quarterback. I mean goodness gracious Yeah, it was a lot. There's a lot and it's been like that for the last couple you look. Let's I mean last few years clarity. This is this has been uh It's been an abysmal effort on on the defense side of the ball and and look I think the offense has a lot of weapons, but the offense can't afford to make mistakes right because one of the other offense gets the ball the defense Finds a way to let them down. This is this has been a it's been a hard watch and physically. Yeah, they they're gonna They're gonna get beat up here in there physically, but I can accept that. I just can't accept You know when it's third along and they bust a man-to-man coverage that that that part of it that that's how you lose games

10:26Right have you got to ask me Christian Parker? No defense coordinator. I have not I have not I need to walk down I'm there every day. I need to walk down 34 years. Oh, he's a savant. They he's a star when you look at the The things that they talk about what they did the offseason improved his defense He's number one because they didn't you know, they didn't get no corner cred difference mechanism for it They got they made some moves, but the best thing they did was getting Christian Parker and this is the guy He targeted to help his defense in Caleb doubts. Yeah Well, and this is the thing that what's different. I mean something's different in that building right now Right, you do because some different you know that in years past It's always let's go get a former head coach Who got fired and we'll bring him in and slot him as the defensive coordinator and you and I both know once you go to the head coach level It is hard going back down the opposite way It just is hard to be the defense coordinator all of a game because now you have to be in the minutia All over again, and that's a hard task for any of I don't care if it's Mike Zimmer or

11:28whoever it is right I like the fact that they said they stepped out of their box and they said look We're gonna go get a young guy Who's different now look like all the other defense coordinators that we've had around here And we're going to lean on him to build the personnel and bring the culture of this defense You can say what you want in the locker room people always say well, we're a team. Yeah, you are a team and you come together as a team, but you know what There's a there's a point Clarence where the defense you're your own team, too Right, and there's a pride there's a pride in that locker room that you carry along that you I walked around with guys like Charles Haley and Tony tober that dogs to be on lead like yeah, we were good officer team But that defense do we had our own personality. Well, you don't want you can no one defensive league when you're on super people to get there Everybody talk about triplets. Would you have no one defense? Absolutely, and that's what they need now They see those dogs on that side of the ball. I think they got one

12:29They got one. I think they got 30 year drought. You is it is it is a time. I mean, I mean, I know it's It ain't going to happen. The 96 sumo 30 year drought. Yeah, it's 30 year drought. Look, it's not going to happen overnight I just want people to give it time because you're going to see I think you're going to start to see the We've had 30 years. How much more time with me? How much more time can't both fans need? You got a guy in Christopher Park is what 34 years old 34 years first time running deep in first time contemplates They want to win now. You got to give them time to build his team. Go build it I mean, I appreciate it. Oh, you have to run. I thank you for squeezing the same man again When they signed this guy, I saw you tweet everybody. This is a daring. What's the clone man? Hopefully we'll play like you know I was with my son and we were watching the draft and I thought man I said the giant she gonna draft this kid And when they pass, I was like you need to trade up. That's first thing. So it's so good That it was really good to see them go with that pick. I needed that one