I suppose given Snyder’s track record for chasing a headline name with his coaching hires, you have to put Jon Gruden on Washington’s wish list. But Gruden isn’t going to be the next Redskins coach to end things badly with Snyder. He’s happy and wealthy enough in TV for now, and it is said that only the ideal situation will lure him back to coaching. Rest assured, the Redskins will never be considered anyone’s idea of perfection.
Most league sources I talked to expect Penn State’s Bill O’Brien to be on the radar of every team in need of a coach, as long as that team doesn’t mind paying big money to its sideline boss. O’Brien reportedly has a $6.48 million NFL-team buyout in his Penn State contract, and would then command a sizable salary on top of that. Money has never been a restrictor plate for Snyder, but O’Brien should have more than one option, and he likely won’t view the Redskins as giving him his best possible chance at success. Houston or Dallas seem far more attractive in that regard.
Washington could wind up hiring a Gruden: Cincinnati offensive coordinator Jay Gruden — Jon’s younger brother — whose tenure with the Bengals not-too-coincidentally coincided with the franchise’s first-ever run of three consecutive playoff berths. Washington might prioritize a quarterback-friendly hire given Robert Griffin III’s setback of a second season in the NFL, and Gruden is viewed as the man who deserves most of the credit for Andy Dalton’s early success in Cincinnati.
But the real issue in Washington is tightening things up on defense, and that’s where top-tier defensive coordinators like Cincinnati’s Mike Zimmer, Cleveland’s Ray Horton, San Francisco’s Vic Fangio, Carolina’s Sean McDermott or Arizona’s Todd Bowles could emerge as possibilities. Snyder would have to go against stereotype to make such a hire, because none of those candidates come with the sizzle and big-name splash that he typically prefers. But what better way for Snyder to convince everyone that he has indeed learned from his mistakes, and is searching for the best possible coach, regardless of his Q rating?
For instance, a hire like Fangio might not move the needle much with fans and the media, but he’s a straight-shooter who is well-liked by players, has earned respect for his X’s and O’s acumen and his defensive mindset would help in a division where the Eagles and Cowboys offenses currently set the tempo. According to some observers, a defensive-oriented coach for the Redskins might also be better equipped to handle the unique situation in Washington regarding Snyder’s relationship with his quarterback, Griffin, which was the source of some of the tension between Shanahan and the owner.
As for Redskins general manager Bruce Allen, most sources seem to think he’ll survive the coming shakeup in Washington, although perhaps in a different title with slightly different responsibilities, depending on the head coaching hire. Shanahan had control of personnel decisions, and it’ll be interesting to see if Snyder follows that model once again or opts for a more traditional GM-head coach setup, with dual lines of authority.