Gruden fires defensive coordinator Joe Barry

Alright, I understanding doing your due diligence and all of that, but I'm starting to see that it really isn't about doing your due diligence as much as it's the Redskins brass not being able to sell the job to these candidates. We can kid ourselves all the want and think the front office is just wanting to make sure they get it right, but it really isn't up to them. It's up to the candidates. In this situation, it's the candidates with the upper hand and the ones having to "think it over". Come on, what's to think over with a guy like Gus Bradley, Mike Pettine, or Wade Phillips? Nothing. All have been very successful as defensive coordinators, all have head coaching experience. You hire the first one that says I DO!

Look at what Wade Phillips said. He didn't think the Redskins had enough talent on defense. He might be right, but that is when the front office says, "It looks like we're short on talent on defense, but we do have a good core group of guys to build around that I think you can get excited about. These guys are smart and hungry, and they're very receptive to coaching and wanting to be led by someone who can maximize their talents. Scot is going to be focusing much of his attention in this offseason on bringing in some solid guys who are going to upgrade our defense. We know you are the guy who can maximize the talent we provide you. We truly believe you're our missing piece to the puzzle!"

These candidates are looking at the situation and seeing that there is a fourth year head coach who could be on the hot seat if the season isn't going any better than the previous, that there is a lack of talent on defense, and that if the head coach is fired at the end of this season, he's probably one and done.

While we as fans look at our team in a more optimistic light and think this is a perfect opportunity for a DC to want to be in, the truth is, it doesn't look very rosy for the candidates. Our front office needs to be diligent, but they need to also work fast and pretty much be willing to move the sun and moon for these guys to get them in. One more day of not naming a new defensive coordinator makes me think we will wind up promoting Greg Manusky, and while that might wind up turning out better than I expect, I don't believe this is the right time for Jay Gruden and the Redskins to be taking a chance on a guy who hasn't had much success as a DC.

And on top of that, our offensive coaches are starting to get raided. We can't allow Coach Callahan to get snatched from us - he's done a great job with our offensive line. The Redskins need to brace for an exodus of coaches if they want to follow McVay, so the Redskins need to get a deal done with a DC.

Looks like Pettine is about the only guy left.

We need to wrap up Gus Bradley and be done with it.

The thing that strikes me is we are taking our time and doing our due diligence yet the coordinator market is moving quickly thanks to new coaches assembling their staff. Add in the fact that we are stuck with a head coach moving into a crucial year with minimal job security and we're already at a disadvantage compared to new coaches. He needs to pick up the pace. We're in FA for coaches right now.

I wonder if they've satisfied the Rooney Rule yet. Have to do that with coordinator positions.

They were granted permission to interview Wilks but I don't know if it has happened.

Need to get that interview done. I don't know how the Rams locked down Phillips so fast after hiring McVay, I really don't see how they couldn't have violated the Rooney Rule.

I wonder if they've satisfied the Rooney Rule yet. Have to do that with coordinator positions.

They were granted permission to interview Wilks but I don't know if it has happened.

Need to get that interview done. I don't know how the Rams locked down Phillips so fast after hiring McVay, I really don't see how they couldn't have violated the Rooney Rule.

I was wondering that myself. Maybe it's different rules if coordinators are making lateral moves?

I just saw Wilks got the Panthers DC job, so if they didn't interview him they better interview a different minority coordinator. Hopefully they already have and we just don't know it.

No, lateral moves don't affect anything. You must interview a minority candidate.

I just saw Wilks got the Panthers DC job, so if they didn't interview him they better interview a different minority coordinator. Hopefully they already have and we just don't know it.

No, lateral moves don't affect anything. You must interview a minority candidate.

I can't help but wonder if the NFL isn't enforcing the Rooney Rule anymore, seems like a lot of coaches have been hired this year without interviewing a minority candidate first.

can we offer the job to bradley and see what he says?

The NFL has indeed expanded the Rooney Rule to apply to coordinator positions. It’s unclear whether teams are complying.

While not a formal requirement, it’s a “recommended best practice” that teams “consider a diverse group of candidates” when hiring a coordinator.

It’s unclear whether all teams are complying with enhanced Rooney Rule | ProFootballTalk (http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/01/10/its-unclear-whether-all-teams-are-complying-with-enhanced-rooney-rule/)


Whether teams are complying isn’t clear, because not every team is applying transparency to the process of searching for coordinators. Washington, which has been announcing its interviews for the position of defensive coordinator, has interviewed at least one minority candidate. The Browns, who hired defensive coordinator Gregg Williams to replace Ray Horton, have not responded to an inquiry from PFT regarding whether one or more minority candidates were considered. (The NFL referred PFT to the Browns on the question of whether the search complied with the “recommended best practice.”)

From that article:

Again, the expansion of the rule to coordinator hires is not a requirement; it’s merely a best practice. If teams aren’t complying, they won’t be punished.