Is Jason Garrett the Next Head Coach of the Dallas Cowboys?

by Armin Mohajeri

The Dallas Cowboys hired Miami Dolphins QB coach Jason Garrett. However, the capacity in which he will join the team is still up in the air. For now, it looks as if the former Cowboys QB will join as the team's offensive coordinator. I feel there is one caveat. If the team fails to hire a coach with a big enough name for Jerrah Jones, Jason Garrett will be the next head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.

During his playing career Garrett showed signs that he could one day be an offensive coordinator in the NFL. He has coaching pedigree. His father coached him at Columbia, before Jason transferred to Princeton. Garrett was a clipboard holder for a while backing up Troy Aikman winning two Super Bowls. He started his coaching career as the 4th QB on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was also among the list of coaches who turned down the University of Alabama head coaching job.

Numerous names were linked to the Cowboys head coaching vacancy as soon as there was speculation that Parcells was on his way out. Wade Phillips, Rex Ryan, Norv Turner, Ron Rivera and Jim Haslett are among the names that come to mind. There's even been mention of Marvin Lewis and Lovie Smith. Let's look at the candidates.

Wade Phillips - San Diego Chargers Defensive Coordinator: He seems to make the most sense. His 3-4 defense fits the Cowboys personnel, and his success with the Chargers defense this season makes him a hot commodity. Having a lot of money invested into a young talented group of linebackers, the Cowboys need a coach that will maximize their value.

Rex Ryan - Baltimore Ravens Defensive Coordinator: Another hot commodity is Rex (Son of Buddy) Ryan. He coached the NFL's #1 defense this past year. However, if the Cowboys were to hire Rex Ryan, I would say the chances are greater that Garrett would be the head coach while Ryan takes the role of assistant head coach/defensive coordinator.

Norv Turner - San Francisco 49ers Offensive Coordinator: Norv makes sense here because of his history with the team, and the fact that if Jerrah had to settle on Norval, Cowboys fans would take him back with open arms. Turner showed up somewhat big with the 49ers this year. Frank Gore had a breakout season, Alex Smith progressed as the season went on, and the team did better on offense than most thought they would. While the Garrett hiring all but negates Norv coming in, I wouldn't rule it out completely at some point in the future.

Ron Rivera - Chicago Bears Defensive Coordinator: Along with Norv Turner, Rivera has expressed interest in being the next head coach of the Cowboys. Rivera is long overdue for a head coaching gig. He's proven more than anyone else, as he's been able to craft his defense around his personnel better than any defensive coordinator out there. He seems to turn no-name LBs and DBs into solid (even spectacular) contributors very early in their careers.

Jim Haslett - St. Louis Rams Defensive Coordinator: Haslett has plenty of experience with the 3-4 defense when he was the defensive coordinator of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He can offer a smooth transition for the defense. Haslett still sits high on the lists of several teams, although he has failed for the second time in a row (Saints HC, Rams DC). He may need another year with the Rams to prove he's still a hot commodity.

Marvin Lewis - Cincinnati Bengals Head Coach: Speculation is that the Bengals are trying to push Marvin Lewis out the door. With Carson Palmer's latest words, indirectly directed at Marvin Lewis and the coaching staff, regarding the 9 arrests in the last 13 months, things are coming apart at the seams in Cincy. Lewis proved while with the Redskins and Bengals that he's unwilling to adjust his defense to match the personnel available. We all remember the "Who Moved My Cheese" incident when he was with the Redskins. In my opinion, he would not be a good fit in Dallas. Add to that the fact that Lewis is still under contract as a Head Coach, meaning the Cowboys would have to give the Bengals some Gruden-like compensation to land him.

Lovie Smith - Chicago Bears Head Coach: Landing Lovie would be a coup for the Cowboys. He's probably the hottest commodity out there that probably won't switch teams. Mark my words, this will not happen. Every team handles extending their head coach differently. The Bears will keep Lovie around.

Looking at this list of candidates, I would put Wade Phillips as the most likely candidate to land the job. The Cowboys have finished interviewing for the head coach spot within the team. Since Todd Bowles (DB Coach) is African-American, they've fulfilled their obligation of interviewing a minority (though Ron Rivera would fit that bill as well). Yesterday, the Cowboys asked the Chargers for permission to interview Phillips for their head coaching vacancy. A hiring could be in short order.