Blogging The Boys
Notable headlines surrounding America’s team.
Many reports had the Cowboys expected to interview Bears secondary coach Andre Curtis for their defensive coordinator position. The team will also interview former Bears coach Matt Eberflus for the same slot this upcoming week. And ESPN reported on Sunday that the Cowboys have requested to interview Dolphins outside linebackers coach Ryan Crow for the defensive coordinator position.
Falcons tight ends coach Kevin Koger will interview for the Cowboys offensive coordinator role.
A pair of assistant special team coaches, Chris Banjo (Broncos) and Carlos Polk (Bears), will interview for the vacant special teams coordinator post.
Once the coordinators are hired, the team will move forward in hiring position coaches. A name of interest is Bears interim offensive coordinator Chris Beatty as a possible wide receivers coach.
Figuring out his staff is an obvious priority, but Schotty’s ability to get the front office to give him the players he needs my be the one most critical to his long-term success.
1. Build the coaching staff
This is Schottenheimer’s most important thing. He is a first-time NFL head coach and hasn’t had to deal with most that comes in that role in his two-plus decades as an assistant coach and coordinator. Even more comes with the role when you’re the head coach of the Cowboys. All of that will be much easier to navigate if there’s a quality staff in place.
Mike McCarthy is one of Schottenheimer’s mentors and his approach to a coaching staff structure is a good place to start. McCarthy was more offensively-inclined, so he always made sure the defensive coordinator was experienced, preferably someone who had been a head coach. Matt Eberflus is a frontrunner for that role and would check those boxes.
Plus, there are multiple position coaches on offense and defense. Schottenheimer needs to ensure that those hires match up with his vision and message.
3. Hash out personnel preferences with front office
Schottenheimer needs to identify the roster’s most glaring holes. Obviously, there are players locked into roles due to contract status and the fact remains that Dallas’ front office doesn’t seem too intent on changing its lackadaisical approach to free agency. Still, the front office does take the coach’s opinion into serious consideration when adding players through free agency or the draft. It’s important for Schottenheimer to ensure that the communication is on point as the calendar enters the player evaluation phase — from draft prospects or veterans who could be options when free agency begins in less than two months.
