The Washington Redskins knew entering this offseason that Sean McVay could be the target of teams looking for a brilliant young offensive mind to lead their franchise. It’s a normal thing for organizations looking to improve to target the coordinators of successful offenses from the season before, it happens every year.
What the Redskins didn’t factor in was actually losing McVay, and then watching as several of the team’s defensive coordinator targets signed elsewhere, including Wade Phillips signing a deal with the Rams to coach alongside McVay. Another target, Panthers secondary coach Steve Wilks, is expected to be promoted to the now-open coordinator position in Carolina that was vacated when Sean McDermott took the Buffalo Bills head coaching job.
However, the Redskins are still in the running for former Seahawks DC Gus Bradley and former Bills/Jets DC Mike Pettine, although Bradley has been linked to the Chargers DC job.
At any rate, the Redskins have several in-house options available to replace McVay as offensive coordinator, and the team is leaning toward filling the vacancy from within.
Here are the current in-house options:
Jay Gruden – While the team would still need to promote someone to the job title of offensive coordinator, the choice that offers the most continuity for the offense would be for Gruden to call the plays. Gruden called the offensive plays in 2014, but found he had too many other areas of the team to focus on (was also the team’s QB coach as well), which is why he gave play-calling duties to McVay in 2015.
Bill Callahan – Callahan has been the offensive line coach since arriving in Washington but has plenty of experience as an offensive coordinator on his résumé. From 1998 to 2002 with Oakland and from 2012 to 2014 with Dallas, Callahan was the top man on the offensive side of the ball. Callahan may mean too much to the team in terms of what he does for the o-line and the designing of each weeks running game-plan to have him call plays. Very good chance that Callahan is promoted to offensive coordinator, gets a bump in pay, but Gruden still calls the plays.
Matt Cavanaugh – The team’s quarterbacks coach since 2015, Cavanaugh also has plenty of experience. From 1997 to 2008, he was an offensive coordinator for three franchises: Chicago, Baltimore, and Pittsburgh. Having already worked with McVay, Gruden and the Redskins QBs, Cavanaugh would be another great continuity choice for the team as few know the system as well.
Wes Phillips – Phillips has been the team’s tight ends coach since 2014 and is the least qualified/experienced offensive coach on staff. While most believe Phillips has a bright future, they also agree he may not be ready for a promotion this big. Phillips has the respect of the players in the locker room, they all view him as a good communicator who has a great passion for the game. It’s rumored that McVay will at least attempt to hire Phillips on to his staff to work beside his father, Wade.
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