Coaching Staff Watch Thread...

Jason Garrett wants to return
Updated: January 12, 2015, 12:33 PM ET
By Todd Archer | ESPN.com

IRVING, Texas -- Jason Garrett will become a free agent of sorts, but he wants to continue as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.

Asked on 105.3 The Fan if he wants to be the team's coach, Garrett said, "Absolutely."

"This is a great organization. I think we really built a football team that we can be proud of, and there are some really good things ahead for this team," he added.

Owner and general manager Jerry Jones said Garrett was "my coach of the year" after Sunday's 26-21 loss to the Green Bay Packers and has continuously throughout the year said he wants Garrett to be the team's head coach for the long term.

Now the process starts on re-signing Garrett, who has a 42-32 career record, to a multiyear contract.

The bulk of the coaching staff is working on expiring contracts, including passing game coordinator Scott Linehan, defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli and offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Bill Callahan.

According to Pro Football Talk, Marinelli is expected to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, possibly as defensive coordinator, to reconnect with Lovie Smith, with whom he worked with the Chicago Bears from 2009 to 2012.

Garrett would not comment on the report but said the team wants to keep him.

"I know Rod Marinelli has done a fantastic job for us since he's been here," Garrett said. "He's done a great job coordinating our defense this year. We have every intention of keeping Rod Marinelli in his current role as defensive coordinator. We'll take care of the business things after we take care of the business of today, but Rod's a helluva coach and has done amazing things with our football team this year."

According to ESPN's Ed Werder, Callahan has attracted interest from eight teams. The Cowboys blocked him from interviewing with the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns about their offensive coordinator vacancies last year despite giving his playcalling duties to Linehan.

The Cowboys hold a short period of negotiating exclusivity with the assistant coaches before they are free to talk with other teams. During the exclusivity period, other teams have to request permission to speak to the Cowboys assistants.

Clay_Allison said:

I wonder if the completely lazy vanilla gameplan vs. Green Bay had something to do with Marinelli being on the way out and not giving enough of a shit to draw up a blitz to go after Rodgers.

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He did try some blitzing early...particularly with Scandrick, but I think him going to TB is more about him wanting to be with Lovie, then us letting him go because of his gameplan.

Eight teams have expressed interest in Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Bill Callahan

Brandon George
Published: January 12, 2015 11:52 am

IRVIN –Bill Callahan, the Dallas Cowboys’ offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, is a hot commodity right now. Eight NFL teams have already expressed interest in hiring Callahan.

Callahan helped build one of the league’s best offensive lines during his three seasons with the Cowboys.

The Cowboys will have a hard time retaining Callahan, whose contract is now up. He handled offensive play-calling for the Cowboys last season under coach Jason Garrett but had those duties stripped from him. Callahan wasn’t happy with the way it was handled, and Scott Linehan was hired last offseason to take over the play-calling.

The Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens requested to speak with Callahan last offseason while he was still under contract, but the Cowboys blocked their requests to retain Callahan.

Linehan would likely take over the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator title if Callahan leaves for another NFL staff. The Oakland Raiders contacted the Cowboys before the season was over to ask for permission to speak with Linehan. Linehan said he wouldn’t talk to the Raiders or even consider another job until after the Cowboys’ season ended.

Callahan, 58, is a former head coach with the Oakland Raiders and Nebraska.

I think Callahan got screwed last year, so letting him go this year would be fine. Pollack is doing fine as it is.

Carp said:

He did try some blitzing early...particularly with Scandrick, but I think him going to TB is more about him wanting to be with Lovie, then us letting him go because of his gameplan.

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I don't think we let him go, I think he had one foot out the door and didn't put in his best effort.

Carp said:

I think Callahan got screwed last year, so letting him go this year would be fine. Pollack is doing fine as it is.

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I agree. Losing him is the least of our worries. I'd hate to lose Linehan or Marinelli, but Callahan leaving is not a huge deal for the reason you stated. Pollack seems to be poised to fill in fine.

I think Callahan will be a big loss. He's one of the best O-line coaches anywhere. We have no idea how good Pollack would be when given the full-time role.

Plus, Callahan was huge in drafting Frederick and probably Martin.

Chocolate Lab said:

I think Callahan will be a big loss. He's one of the best O-line coaches anywhere. We have no idea how good Pollack would be when given the full-time role.

Plus, Callahan was huge in drafting Frederick and probably Martin.

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Pollack pretty much took over the OL last year while Callahan was playing OC and he seemed to do a good job. I think we will be okay if he leaves. Losing Marinelli or Linehan would hurt much more, IMO.

boozeman said:

You will all get Eberflus and like it.

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Stone cold mortal lock.

We need to invest heavily on defense. Pour premium resources into the DL, get some FA help in the secondary, and the loss of Marinelli wont have that big of an impact.

E_D_Guapo said:

Stone cold mortal lock.

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I hear Campo is available.

Chocolate Lab said:

I think Callahan will be a big loss. He's one of the best O-line coaches anywhere. We have no idea how good Pollack would be when given the full-time role.

Plus, Callahan was huge in drafting Frederick and probably Martin.

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Pollack was the full time OL coach in Houston when they installed the ZBS and Foster had huge success in the system. He'll be fine.

VA Cowboy said:

I hear Campo is available.

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Choke yourself, VA.

Iamtdg said:

Pollack pretty much took over the OL last year while Callahan was playing OC and he seemed to do a good job. I think we will be okay if he leaves. Losing Marinelli or Linehan would hurt much more, IMO.

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Well yeah, they would be huge losses also. All three guys did a great job this year.

I still think Linehan stays. Just can't see anyone hiring him for HC, and I don't see why he'd leave for a lateral job.

Losing two of three guys would be bad enough.

Clay_Allison said:

I don't think we let him go, I think he had one foot out the door and didn't put in his best effort.

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I dunno about that. All week long, the analysts and others have talked about how this team isn't a blitzing team to begin with. Plus we don't really have the personnel in the secondary to do much blitzing

Clay_Allison said:

Pollack was the full time OL coach in Houston when they installed the ZBS and Foster had huge success in the system. He'll be fine.

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Thought I read he was part-time there and full time in Oakland...

Maybe he'll be fine. I'm just wary when one of the of the best coaches at his position leaves. Sometimes the young guy behind him will be just as good, but not often.

Cowboys defenders want Rod Marinelli to stay
January, 12, 2015

By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com

IRVING, Texas – Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli did not want to talk as he walked through the team’s Valley Ranch practice facility on Monday.

Marinelli’s defenders, however, spoke of their wish that he remain with the Cowboys. Pro Football Talk reported Marinelli is “expected to” join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, perhaps as defensive coordinator under Lovie Smith.

On 105.3 The Fan in Dallas on Monday morning, Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said the team has “every intention” of keeping Marinelli as the coordinator. Marinelli has an immense amount of loyalty to Buccaneers coach Lovie Smith, whom he worked for from 2009-12 with the Chicago Bears.

“Tell him he better stay here, man,” defensive end Jeremy Mincey said. “I got so much respect for Coach Rod, man. If he did leave, I would still be happy for him, but we definitely want him here. We got a lot of love and respect for him. He coaches the game the right way and he’s one of the greatest to do it.”

Marinelli just finished his second year with the Cowboys but his first as their defensive coordinator. He still coached the defensive linemen, but his work with the entire defense was praiseworthy.

Viewed as potentially one of the worst defenses at the start of the season in NFL history, Marinelli cobbled together a group that finished 19th in yards (355.1) and 15th in points per game (22) despite not having a Pro Bowler.

Mincey led the Cowboys with six sacks and linebacker Bruce Carter had a team-high five interceptions. Younger players such as defensive tackle Tyrone Crawford and safety J.J. Wilcox came on and he got the best out of linebacker Rolando McClain, a former first round pick who retired twice after a poor stint with the Oakland Raiders.

“We have a special thing brewing with all our pieces that are in this building right now for a defense,” cornerback Brandon Carr said. “It takes some time for the chemistry to come around and the guys to get and for the expectations to be recognized on both ends with coaches and players. This is the second year of the defense. Marinelli was here last year and you can say we stayed within the framework of our defense, but we have something special brewing.”

If I knew there would be a wide net cast to replace Marinelli, I wouldn't care. I am not a big fan of the Tampa system and I hate the soft nature of it that almost demands that you get four stud linemen because blitzing is an afterthought.

But if it means Eberflus, which I am certain we will do, I would prefer Marinelli returning since he can get blood out of a turnip at times.

I won't pretend to know much more about Eberflus than his resume states, which is pretty thin. A few years at Missouri, hanging out with Fat Rob a couple of years and not much else in terms of exposure outside of farting around at Toledo. Had he worked with a few more defensive minds, I would probably appreciate him more. He did a good job with the LBers, molding crap into a good unit, but that doesn't speak to what kind of defense he would run. He did the same thing in Cleveland with an injury racked unit. That doesn't mean he's ready to lead a big time NFL defense.