Things in Washington definitely aren’t working out the way Jay Gruden hoped they would. The team is 3-10, the fans are livid, and former franchise savior Robert Griffin III is reportedly teetering on the edge of sanity.
None of that is good for rookie head coach Jay Gruden’s job security, and to make matters worse, management is considering whether they’d rather keep Griffin than bring Gruden back in 2015. If Gruden goes, here are the guys the Redskins will go after to replace him:
10) Art Briles, Baylor Head Coach
If Dan Snyder is committed to keeping Robert Griffin III as Washington’s quarterback of the future, there’s no doubt he’ll be giving Briles a call. Griffin’s college coach and mentor won’t come easily (or cheaply), but this would be the ideal scenario for both Snyder and Griffin…so they’ll at least put an offer on the table.
We’d be absolutely shocked if Briles accepts…but since there’s no doubt whatsoever he’ll be on Snyder’s shortlist if Gruden goes, he’s here anyway. Just don’t hold your breath.
9) Rex Ryan, New York Jets Head Coach
Ryan is well on his way out of the door with the New York Jets, but he’ll still have plenty of coaching opportunities around the league. Many blame the Jets failures on general manager Jeff Idzik, and think that Ryan just needs to be in a new situation. He’s one of the best defensive coaches in the league and would drastically improve one of the league’s worst defenses. He would need a great offensive coordinator to be successful, but he would be excellent at handling the Washington media.
8 ) Gus Malzahn, Auburn Head Coach
Malzahn’s inventive offense took a 3-9 Auburn team to the national championship game, and with Chip Kelly’s offensive success in Philadelphia, he’s becoming a hot candidate to make the jump to the pros. There’s no guarantee that Malzahn will want to leave Auburn and the college game, but a high profile job with a quarterback perfectly suited for his system would be hard to pass up.
7) Vic Fangio, Defensive Coordinator, San Francisco 49ers
Fangio has kept the San Francisco 49ers’ defense together despite a litany of costly injuries, and kept the 49ers in the playoff hunt with solid adjustment after solid adjustment. Fangio isn't a hot head coaching candidate this offseason, but he's a very good coach that would bring some calmness to Washington's craziness.
6) Sean McDermott, Defensive Coordinator, Carolina Panthers
McDermott is a rising star in the coaching ranks, who already has 16 years of NFL coaching experience – including six as a defensive coordinator – at the age of 40. He’s the architect that has built and maintained Carolina’s top defense while being there since 2011, and received interest from multiple teams last year about their head coaching vacancies. McDermott would turn Washington into a defense-first team, and would be a nice consolation prize if the big names listed above pass on the job.
5) Darrell Bevell, Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator
Washington's offense, and RG3 in particular, need a jump start from an offensive philosophy standpoint. Bevell has turned down the chance at NFL head coaching jobs before to stay in the Pacific Northwest, but he could very well make the jump this offseason if the right opportunity presents itself. The Redkins have been a messy operation, but the right directive and influx of energy could have this team playoff-bound next season – something Bevell could very well provide.
He interviewed for the job last year, and would definitely get another call. However, his interest in the job may have dropped significantly.
4) Greg Roman, San Francisco 49ers Offensive Coordinator
Roman has been tabbed as a future head coach since his time at Stanford, and his situation in San Francisco right now is far from stable. While Washington doesn’t scream stability for a rookie head coach, Roman might be the right mix of potential and willingness to work for Dan Snyder. After six seasons of working with Jim Harbaugh, Roman can definitely handle office politics and domineering personalities, and his experience working with Colin Kaepernick will be a plus when installing schemes for Robert Griffin III.
3) Rich Bisaccia, Dallas Cowboys Special Teams Coordinator
Bisaccia interviewed for and nearly landed the job that eventually went to Jay Gruden, and he also has history with Bruce Allen from their time in Tampa (Bisaccia was special teams coordinator there from 2002-2007 and assistant head coach from 2008-2010). While he might not have the experience or the resume that fans are after, the Redskins just can’t afford to be choosy when making this hire. Bisaccia has already shown interest in the job, and you can expect him to get another call if Gruden is out at the end of the year.
2) Raheem Morris, Washington Redskins Defensive Backs Coach
If the Redskins decide to promote from within, Morris is really their only option. 28-year-old offensive coordinator Sean McVay is too young and inexperienced for the job, and even Dan Snyder has to realize that promoting DC Jim Haslett would effectively pour gasoline all over the 2015 season and set it on fire. Enter Morris, a close ally of team president & GM Bruce Allen. Morris didn’t have much to work with in his previous stint as a NFL HC (2009-2011 in Tampa) and he’s probably Washington’s best bet if they want someone with NFL head coaching experience.
1) Todd Bowles, Arizona Cardinals Defensive Coordinator
Bowles played seven of his eight NFL seasons for the Redskins, starting Super Bowl XXII for the team as a safety. He’ll be on everyone’s shortlist this summer thanks to Arizona’s sensational defense, so he’s a definite reach for Washington if other jobs become available…but Dan Snyder & Co. will be hoping his history with the franchise and desire to take the next step as a head coach overrule his concerns about job security.
Who would you want to see coach the Redskins if Jay Gruden gets fired? Let us know in the comments section!
Back to the Washington Commanders Newsfeed