DALLAS — The departure of former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has left the Dallas Cowboys’ coaching staff without a leader for their defense. With the former DC getting the head coaching gig with the Washington Commanders, the organization has lost the man who turned around the underachieving unit that he inherited.
While Quinn’s run ended with a rough outing in a blowout wild-card loss, it’s hard to dispute the positive results that Quinn commanded in three years with the team. The Cowboys lead the league in takeaways in back-to-back seasons and were one of the better defenses in pressuring the quarterback during Quinn’s tenure.
That’s all gone now, and the Cowboys are now tasked with filling his position. After two straight offseasons where Jerry Jones was able to retain Quinn, the organization is now trying to find a replacement late in the game. Usually that matters, but for Dallas, the point seems moot as the team seems intent on hiring a defensive coordinator who has been a head coach. It worked with Quinn and the team appears ready to go back to that same well.
While most of the league is looking for the next young, innovative coordinator, the Cowboys are fine with going with someone who’s been around the league and has had some success. It’s something that’s perplexing to outsiders, but Jerry and Stephen Jones continue to do what’s comfortable instead of going out and taking risks on the unknown.
The last time Dallas hired a DC without head coaching experience was Monte Kiffin ahead of a disappointing 2013 season before Kiffin was demoted in favor of then defensive line coach Rod Marinelli. It would appear that the wounds from 11 years ago are still fresh.
Currently, the Cowboys have interviewed two prominent former head coaches with backgrounds in defense. Former Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders coach Ron Rivera was first up to interview. Rivera had successful stints as a DC with the Chicago Bears and San Diego Chargers before being hired by the Panthers as their head man where he led the franchise to their first Super Bowl in 2015. He also played linebacker in the NFL for nine seasons, so he knows and understands defense.
Unfortunately, his Commanders had one of the worst defenses in the league last year, which was partly his responsibility after he took over for fired coordinator Jack Del Rio after a Thanksgiving drubbing by the Cowboys. Washington’s defense allowed the most points per game in the league in 2023.
The personnel was an issue with the Commanders and Rivera would have better options with the Cowboys, but his latest results can’t be dismissed.
Former Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer was next up to speak with the team and he could be the better fit. Zimmer was the DC in Dallas for seven seasons (2000-2006), so the Joneses have a strong familiarity with who he is as a person and coach.
After leaving the Cowboys, Zimmer went on to be the DC with the Atlanta Falcons for a year before six good seasons as the leader of the Cincinnati Bengals’ defense. The Bengals routinely had solid units under Zimmer, which led to his head coaching gig with the Minnesota Vikings for eight seasons.
Zimmer’s best attribute right now might be his work against the modern offense under the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree. His success over time against a group that includes the NFC champion coach whose team continues to make deep postseason runs would be a welcomed addition after Quinn’s failures against the same scheme.
Being able to stop the kinds of attacks utilized by Shanahan and Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur would be a plus in Zimmer’s case to be the DC.
The teams’ search was also expected to include an interview for passing game coordinator Joe Whitt, but he took the opportunity to go with Quinn to be the defensive coordinator with the Commanders. It’s hard to blame Whitt for taking the guaranteed job instead of interviewing for a possible promotion.
Defensive line coach Aden Durde got a chance to interview for the gig as well, but with the Cowboys looking for someone with experience it’s highly unlikely he’ll wind up with the job. Durde is well respected in the league and is also interviewing for the open defensive coordinator job with the Seattle Seahawks.
With Rivera and Zimmer expected to be the top choices, there appeared to be few other options. However, another former head coach apparently snuck in to meet with the Cowboys as former New York Jets and Buffalo Bills front man Rex Ryan is alleged to have spoken with Dallas about the job.
Ryan’s interview feels like it came as a surprise, as it appears that no one knew about it until after it occurred. The defenses and teams led by Ryan are known to be physical, tough groups who apply significant pressure on offenses which seems like it could retain some of the strengths from Quinn’s unit while enhancing it.
However, offenses have evolved over the last few years while Ryan has been out of the league, last coaching in 2016.
The only coach from outside the org who hasn’t previously been a head coach that appears on the radar is Don "Wink" Martindale, the former DC of the Baltimore Ravens and New York Giants. Martindale was one of those up-and-coming coaching hires made by New York after a successful tenure in Baltimore, but he struggled to put together a good unit with the Giants over the last two seasons and was let go last month.
It’s clear from the majority of the candidates that the Cowboys want an experienced defensive coordinator who also has experience as a head coach. From the looks of their top three candidates, Jones is also looking for someone with a different personality from their former coordinator. Quinn was known as a player’s coach and not a true disciplinarian.
That wouldn’t be the case with Rivera, Ryan, or Zimmer. This trio is cut from the cloth of hard-nosed, old-school coaches who could potentially help with head coach Mike McCarthy’s issues with team discipline if they deploy a more strict regime. That could be a welcomed change for a defense that had been considered soft on many occasions over the past few seasons.
The search isn’t over yet, but the Cowboys look like they have narrowed down their options. No matter who they choose, their new defensive coordinator could have similar credentials to his predecessor, but a different style appears favored.
Who do you think the Cowboys should hire to lead their defense in 2024? Share your thoughts with Ben on Twitter @BenGrimaldi.