Who will replace Dan Quinn as Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator?

zekecowboy

zekecowboy

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Current Cowboys defensive staffers​

Joe Whitt Jr.

Aden Durde/Al Harris


Non-Cowboys candidates​

Mike Vrabel
Vrabel was one of the hottest coaching candidate names in the latest head coaching carousel, but lo and behold, still remains on the market after all head coaching vacancies have been filled. Vrabel, a Super Bowl winner as a player with the Patriots, started his coaching career at his alma mater, Ohio State, before coming to the NFL with the Houston Texans. Vrabel became the Texans defensive coordinator before taking the Tennessee Titans head coaching job, where he spent six seasons and led the team to three playoff appearances.

Vrabel was fired after the Titans finished last in the AFC South with a 6-11 record.
Brandon Staley
Before becoming the Los Angeles Chargers head coach, Staley served as defensive coordinator for the Rams on Sean McVay's staff. Staley's Rams defense finished 1st in points and total yards allowed, which propelled him into his Chargers head coaching gig.
Staley is reportedly interviewing with the Rams for their open defensive coordinator position, however, after Raheem Morris was hired as Atlanta's head coach. Staley's history with the Rams staff makes more sense for him to potentially land there rather than in North Texas.
Mike Zimmer
Zimmer actually has former ties to the Cowboys organization, spending five years as a defensive assistant and another seven years as defensive coordinator for Dallas from 1994 to 2006. He was also the Minnesota Vikings head coach from 2014 to 2021, so there are loose ties to McCarthy through their many battles in the NFC North when McCarthy was the Green Bay Packers head coach.
Ron Rivera
Boy, wouldn't this make for a fun headline. Dallas and Washington execute a coaching swap, in essence. Rivera cut his teeth as a defensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears and San Diego Chargers before becoming the Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders head coach.
Rivera interviewed for the Cowboys head coaching job in 2007, but ownership decided to hire Wade Phillips at the time instead. Now, he reportedly has an interview for the open defensive coordinator job on McCarthy's staff.
Bill Belichick
Speaking of headlines, how about securing the greatest coach of all-time for a coordinator position?! It seems pretty farfetched that a coach with the resume of Belichick would be willing to accept anything less than a head coaching position ... anywhere.
Belichick lies 15 wins short of the all-time NFL wins record, so it's safe to assume he would like to chase that instead of serving as a defensive coordinator.


https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports...mors/287-f91510ff-74be-45f0-bbad-c18319013cac
 
Gambit

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ShiningStar said:
Whitt is gone, Harris said he will follow Quinn, and i thought Durde got an offer?
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Whitt is not gone yet. Harris can't go if Whitt does unless Dallas lets him out of contract. I'd not heard Durde got an offer, just that he interviewed.
 
john van brocklin

john van brocklin

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CATCH17 said:
When I see Belichick as a defensive coordinator option I immediately can’t take it serious.

You really think the greatest coach ever is gonna take a side gig?
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For a year with a handshake deal to become HC in 2025.
 
CowboyStar88

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If Al Harris is gone my choice would be Zimmer. I do not want Ron, and BB isn’t going to be anyone’s DC, and I highly doubt Vrabel is looking to be a DC either. I could see him taking the year off before take a 1 year role.
 
Beast_from_East

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My favorite is Vrabel, but he still has $8 mill on his contract the Titans owe him, not sure if he would forfeit that if he took another job...............thus, he probably sits out a year, collects his $8 mill, and enters the HC carousel next year.

Zimmer and Riverboat Ron are retreads, not much to get excited about there.

Belicheck is not going to be anybody's DC unless there is a written agreement in place that he is named HC in 2025 unless Fat Mike reaches the NFC Championship Game.
 
JoeKing

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Why would a serious defensive coordinator want to join a coaching staff with a lame-duck head coach? That's not good job security. It would have to be someone capable of taking over the HC job when McCarthy fails this coming season. That's a good reason it could be Bill Belichick.
 
DuncanIso

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CATCH17 said:
When I see Belichick as a defensive coordinator option I immediately can’t take it serious.

You really think the greatest coach ever is gonna take a side gig?
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Agree.

Totally irrational.
 
DuncanIso

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JoeKing said:
Why would a serious defensive coordinator want to join a coaching staff with a lame-duck head coach? That's not good job security. It would have to be someone capable of taking over the HC job when McCarthy fails this coming season. That's a good reason it could be Bill Belichick.
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Zimmer was HC.

If big Mike goes, as he should, Zimmer steps in.
 
DuncanIso

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Beast_from_East said:
My favorite is Vrabel, but he still has $8 mill on his contract the Titans owe him, not sure if he would forfeit that if he took another job...............thus, he probably sits out a year, collects his $8 mill, and enters the HC carousel next year.

Zimmer and Riverboat Ron are retreads, not much to get excited about there.

Belicheck is not going to be anybody's DC unless there is a written agreement in place that he is named HC in 2025 unless Fat Mike reaches the NFC Championship Game.
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Vrabel should wait.
 
Creeper

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CowboyStar88 said:
If Al Harris is gone my choice would be Zimmer. I do not want Ron, and BB isn’t going to be anyone’s DC, and I highly doubt Vrabel is looking to be a DC either. I could see him taking the year off before take a 1 year role.
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I am leaning towards Zimmer myself but that is based on the Zimmer of old. I have concerns about him now. But in his day, he put some good no name defenses on the field. I wonder if he still has it in him to do the same today.

I don't know that Jerry does retreads though. Has he ever hired someone who left?
 
rnr_honeybadger

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Vrable might be the best of the lot but I suspect it will be Zimmer simply because of familiarity.
 
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