For the third off-season in a row, Cowboys Defensive Coordinator Dan Quinn is being interviewed for head coach openings across the league.
Despite a defensive collapse in the playoffs, Quinn is the favorite to land the Seattle Seahawks job.
He has also been interviewed by the Chargers, Panthers, Titans, and NFC East foe, Commanders.
This week, Quinn has started having second-round interviews with multiple teams. That is almost always a sign of strong interest and potential hiring.
With this in mind, Dallas must prepare for a potential departure from their defensive leader. By the time a decision comes, many outside candidates may be off the board.
Mike McCarthy is headed into the last year of his contract without an extension. We all know next season is a make-or-break for him.
If Quinn does depart, picking his successor could become one of the most important decisions of McCarthy's Cowboys' career.
Let's take a look at the most likely candidates to fill Quinn's shoes if he does head elsewhere.
Defensive Back Coach, Al Harris
The odds-on favorites to succeed Quinn are Cowboys Passing Game Coordinator, Joe Whitt Jr, and Defensive Backs Coach, Al Harris.
You have probably heard Harris' name thrown around a lot, and for good reason.
Since Harris joined the Cowboys staff in 2020, the defense has created the most turnovers in the league with a staggering 116.
We have also seen the development of Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland explode. The strides taken by each, especially in creating turnovers, are a direct result of Harris' excellent coaching.
#Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs with a huge hit on Saquon Barkley. DaRon Bland with the INT and TD. #Giants #SNF pic.twitter.com/Ex34XpFV07
— Dominic White (@DomWWhite) September 11, 2023
Harris, a former defensive back himself, is becoming a big name in NFL coaching circles.
His former team as a player, the Green Bay Packers, are now looking for a new defensive coordinator and Harris has started to become a fan-favorite option.
This means if Dallas wants to give Harris the job, they should get to him now and offer the job on the condition of Quinn leaving.
The Cowboys can not afford to lose Quinn and their top replacement for him.
The only question around Harris is if he is ready to lead the entire defense. To this point, his focus has just been on DB's. It is a sizeable leap to go from that to defensive coordinator.
Passing Game Coordinator, Joe Whitt Jr
Serving as the effective understudy to Quinn, Defensive Passing Game Coordinator, Joe Whitt Jr, is set up as the natural successor if there was an opening at defensive coordinator.
Unlike Harris, Whitt has been involved in the coaching of the entire defense and sits next to Quinn in the booth essentially as an assistant DC.
Whitt has received praise for the Cowboys' secondary success, having served as the secondary coach.
His two positions on the coaching staff give him a definitive “leg up” above any other candidates; arguably, the only defensive coach with more responsibilities than Whitt is Quinn.
Assuming Al Harris leaves with DQ, I believe Mike McCarthy would want Joe Whitt Jr, currently on staff and the assistant who took over when DQ was absent briefly. Ties to McCarthy to Green Bay. https://t.co/BsV1YvSdev
— Ed Werder (@WerderEdESPN) January 19, 2024
There is one potential caveat to the likelihood of Whitt being promoted. His last job was with the Atlanta Falcons under Quinn.
This could create a situation where Quinn offers Whitt the DC job of his prospective new team.
McCarthy also has connections with Whitt; he coached with Green Bay for over a decade.
Essentially, this would be a battle between McCarthy and Quinn, who both have previous team ties to Whitt, in order to make him the defensive coordinator.
There would not be a ton of excitement for an in-house defensive promotion after such a bad performance in the playoffs. However, there is something to be said about coaching consistency and familiarity with the players and system.
Additionally, just because Quinn has “disappointed” in the eyes of some fans, does not mean Whitt or Harris would disappoint as well, even if they are from the same regime.
Former Head Coach, Ron Rivera
Are you interested in a big name to fill Quinn's shoes? Look no further than the recently fired Commanders Head Coach, Ron Rivera.
No-nonsense, deeply experienced, respected, and actively searching for a new home as a defensive coordinator. That is Rivera's selling point to teams right now, and it seems to be working.
Rivera has already interviewed for the Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator job, and more interviews could be on the way as the head coaching carousel starts to shape up.
Everybody is going to remember his poor record as head coach of the Commanders, but was that all his fault?
Washington may be the only organization more dysfunctional than Dallas, though things are clearing up under new ownership.
Ron Rivera's Washington tenure was defined by obstacles, including:
🏈Three team names
🏈Two owners
🏈Eight starting quarterbacks
🏈A 26-49-1 recordHe also battled and beat squamous cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 8, 2024
Rivera had countless starting quarterbacks, coordinators, and poor rosters around him in Washington.
Do I trust him to take the reigns as a head coach? No. Could he man the ship as defensive coordinator? Absolutely.
This would be an unorthodox hire for Dallas, as he doesn't have any previous connections to Dallas or McCarthy, but it would certainly be a competitive, “win now” hire.
With the stakes higher than ever for McCarthy and the organization as a whole in 2024, a simple promotion may not entice a team desperate to become real contenders.
Rivera, with all his experience and defensive success, might just be the man for the job.
