Should Cowboys Hire Brandon Staley or Ron Rivera To Replace Dan Quinn?

Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has left to lead the Washington Commanders. Should former Los Angeles Chargers coach Brandon Staley replace him? How about Ron Rivera?

Dallas Cowboys fans are no stranger to getting frustrated with their coaches. After an embarrassing 48-32 defeat to the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card Round, the Cowboys saw a defense that dominated lesser competition falter on the biggest stage of its season. Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn was out-coached and his unit was beaten both physically and schematically.

That was enough for the Dallas faithful to call it quits on the coaching staff. The league would be less moved. Quinn received head coaching interviews and ultimately decided to take the open gig with the Washington Commanders. He’ll see the Cowboys – and their new defensive coordinator – twice each season.

Figuring out Quinn’s replacement in Dallas could get tricky. Head coach Mike McCarthy is perceived to be in the lame-duck stage of his tenure and Quinn may take some of the existing staff with him to Landover. 

CowboysSI.com has reported that Dallas aide Joe Whitt could make a move. And now our Mike Fisher has the scoop on the Cowboys wishing to "visit'' with Ron Rivera. (That interview is being scheduled, we're told.) Mike Vrabel is in this conversation. Oh, and there is Bill Belichick "all in'' fun to be had as well.

Let's examine another name: Former Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley.

Staley’s case is curious. He, too, has been a source of frustration amongst the fans who welcomed him with open arms. After leaving Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert’s rookie window without a playoff win to show for it, patience ran thin. He was fired after a 63-21 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 15.

Staley took over as the head coach of the Chargers in 2021, hoping to bring over a defense that prevented explosive plays and invited the run but played physically enough to stop it. Without superstars like Los Angeles Rams lineman Aaron Donald and (now Miami Dolphins) cornerback Jalen Ramsey, the results didn’t follow.

Over the last three seasons, Los Angeles’ defense ranked 30th in expected points added per rush and dead last in rushing success rate. In all, the unit ranked 27th in expected points added per play. Twice in three years, Pro Football Focus graded the Chargers as a bottom-seven tackling team in the league.

Los Angeles’ stars – safety Derwin James and edge rusher Joey Bosa – both regressed, and its pieces up the middle failed to develop. Much like this season’s Cowboys, stopping the run proved to be too tall of a task.

However, Staley did show he was capable of pushing the right buttons – at least when he was solely presiding over the defense. With stars like edge rusher Micah Parsons and corner Trevon Diggs, optimism can be easy to come by.

The spine of Dallas’ defense, though, is badly in need of a facelift, especially if Staley is calling the shots. Defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa is a rising star, but consistent nose-tackle play has proven elusive, and the Cowboys simply aren’t big enough to stop the run well. More physical linebackers, depth at the position, and safety play that gets its hands dirty are all necessary.

Will Dallas make the personnel moves necessary to put Staley in the best chance to succeed? That’s between owner Jerry Jones and his creator.

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There’s some incentive for Staley to come to Frisco. A potential one-year stop could be a launching pad for another opportunity if all goes well, and there’s certainly some talent already in the building.

Frankly, there doesn’t seem to be a slam-dunk candidate for this job, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Staley and Vrabel added to the list alongside Rivera and getting an extended look if Dallas is keen on shifting its defensive philosophy.