It is time for the Dallas Cowboys to get aggressive in their pursuit of the next head coach.
Following the Detroit Lions’ upset loss to the Washington Commanders over the weekend, the NFL head coach hiring cycle is expected to accelerate and jobs could fill up quickly.
For the Cowboys, that means Jerry Jones needs to have a strong plan in place.
Connor Orr of Sports Illustrated shed light on the Cowboys’ situation and laid out a Plan A and Plan B for the team moving forward. While flashy names like Deion Sanders and Ben Johnson have been floated, Dallas seems to be zeroing in on more proven, stable candidates.
Orr suggests, like many, that Kellen Moore, who interviewed with the Cowboys via Zoom last week, is the Plan A for Jerry Jones. Plan B? Former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh, who interviewed with the team over the weekend.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott laughs with offensive coordinator Kellen Moore before the game against the New York Giants. / Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
“Moore provides Jones with familiarity—it bolsters his pipeline and Moore would not be surprised in any way by the rigors of the job. It also likely gives Jones the chance to add some familiar faces to the staff,” Orr wrote in his MMQB column.
“All that said, I think Saleh has displayed an ability to bring an adult-in-the-room vibe to clearly chaotic situations. The defensive personnel would love him in Dallas.”
New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh fist pumps cornerback Brandin Echols before the game against the Denver Broncos. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
While Saleh isn’t the flashiest candidate, he does bring the stability that the Cowboys franchise needs.
When you add in the fact that the heart and soul of the Cowboys team is its defense, which stepped up in a big way during the final stretch of the season, it would be an exciting fit to see what Saleh can get out of the unit as a whole.
Give Saleh a promising and innovative offensive coordinator who can focus solely on improving the team’s offensive scheme, and it could be a brilliant fit in Big D.
