PFT Rumor: Coach Cowher has talked to the Redskins

by Skin Patrol on Jun 19, 2007 10:46 AM EDT in Redskins News

I answered some questions over at Big Blue View recently, though they won't get posted until later in the week, and one of them related to Joe Gibbs and his future with the team. I insisted that I would love to have Joe Gibbs both for the immediate future and beyond, as he's demonstrably been the best coach the Redskins have had since... Joe Gibbs.

Per a rumor at PFT, the team might already be looking past him. Emphasis added:

A league source tells us that there is already talk in league circles that former Steelers coach Bill Cowher is planning his potential return to the NFL. Per the source, Cowher already has spoken with multiple teams about filling a potential vacancy in 2008.

The source also says that one of Cowher's demands will be full control over the football operations.

The teams, the source says, are believed to be the Browns, Redskins, and Panthers. Another league source confirms that Cowher has had at least one private discussion with Redskins owner Daniel Snyder about the possibility of replacing Hall of Famer Joe Gibbs, if Gibbs calls it quits after the 2007 season.

We're also told that Cowher has begun the process of discreetly lining up a personnel executive to run the front office, subject to Cowher's final say on all roster moves.

Presuming that everything is true (which it certainly may not be), there's a lot here so head over to PFT to finish up the article. First, it is littered with qualifications. Cowher wants total control. Cowher needs to get paid. Joe Gibbs needs to actually retire.

Some things I like: Coach Cowher, as my colleagues at Behind the Steel Curtain well know, is an outstanding coach. Perhaps one of the best in the league. I like that he's proposed control over the team and that Dan Snyder spoke with him regardless, even when it was stipulated that he'd bring his own people in. That sounds a bit more like the personnel structure I'd always hoped the Redskins adopted under Snyder. Though I'm also really getting ahead of myself. If the Redskins have a successful 2007, with a postseason appearance, our "personnel structure" is secondary. Winning is what I care about.

What I don't like is that it sounds as though we're already planning for a Joe Gibbs free future, and I'm not ready to tackle that yet. I am sure that some reader(s) are already tired of the Gibbs 2.0 experience, I just happen not to have reached my wits end with Coach Gibbs just yet. He's done a lot in a relatively short period of time with this football team, even granting a disappointing 2006.

I'm also worried about how continued talks with Coach Cowher will affect the current coordinators. I do not know if Al Saundrs wants to be a Head Coach (again) though I do know that Gregg Williams wants the job given the stipulation in his current contract whereas he gets a big 1$ million bonus if he's on the staff when Joe Gibbs retires and is not made the HC.

Does that necessarily mean I want either of them ultimately replacing Coach Gibbs? I don't know. Al Saunders hasn't really done anything in Washington yet, though I'm confident he will next year. Gregg Williams was great for two years and horrid for one and has a spotty record as a HC. How the defense rebounds in 2007 will speak volumes about him as a coach, and I'll make a more informed judgment by year's end.

So the question moves to reader(s): Who do you want replacing Joe Gibbs in the immediate future, if anyone? Gregg Williams? Saunders? Is Cowher as qualified a candidate as exists?

Deuce of Davenport, The Constitutional Vol. 3

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Just good business

This is just good business. Any good organizational leader must be concerned with succession planning. Part of that is being familiar with potential candidates to get a sense of how they will fit. It makes sense that Snyder, and even Gibbs, would talk to Cower.

But - with Snyder there's always a butt - If the Redskins are doing good succession planning, then the Gibbs replacement should already be in the organization. That thought scares the bijezus out of me. Why are Saunders and Williams here if one of them aren't candidates to become head coach? Who is in place to step up as team president? Wouldn't Cower be a repudiation of the current front office? And wouldn't a whole new coaching staff mean 2-3 seasons for the team to bring in Cower-talent and for the team adjust to Cower schemes? After 8 years of Snyder, must we keep going through that?

The good thing about Cower & full control is that authentic football people could run the shop. The question is - for how long? It only took one season for Snyder to get ansy and retake control from Marty Schottenheimer. He used it to give us Steve Spurrier.

If Snyder and Gibbs are in point, then the next Redskins head coach and the next team prez are already in the organization. The team prez candidate might be a low profile person we are not familiar with. They don't get a lot of press. (Here, I'm assuming it's not going to be Vinnie Cerrato. You know about "assume.") It might be a good idea to bring on a Rooney-rule prospect now, to avoid disruptive changes.

An alternate outside coaching candidate is Russ Grimm. I doubt that he could demand full-control like Cower.

by Master4caster on Jun 19, 2007 11:24 AM EDT reply actions

Great suggestion on Grimm

and not much to add on anything else you stated, which was reasonable.

I see no reason why Al Saunders cannot remain as o-coordinator (presuming a good 2007 -- 2006 really wasn't that bad offensively either). He's been away from head coaching for decades now and hasn't indicated that he's dying to resume. There have been periods where he's been a qualified HC candidate in his tenure with KC.

If anyone should be pissed off, it has to be Gregg Williams. He clearly wants the HC job, and this is evidence that it might not be his in spite of the 1M stipulation. I say: that's what happens when your unit ranks 31st in the league.

Go Register. Or else.

by Skin Patrol on Jun 19, 2007 11:30 AM EDT up reply actions

You can't really be laying the blame...

at Williams's feet for last year. His secondary was banged up at best, in shambles better describes it, and couldn't get a pass rush with his front 4. If you can't get the the QB with 4 and you can't cover everyone even when you only rush 4, you're in the proverbial rock and hard place.

I think the fact that the team spent the offseason fixing th secondary and LBs shows what they felt the problem was last season. If you can cover people for an extra second, or even half-second, you're going to get more sacks/pressure with the front 4. And if you have confidence that your secondary can actually cover someone, you're more willing to send a 5th or 6th or 7th guy after the QB.

You can criticise GW for a lot of things... I just don't think that the ineffectiveness last year is one of them.

by TexSkins on Jun 19, 2007 12:43 PM EDT up reply actions

Re:

His secondary was banged up at best, in shambles better describes it, and couldn't get a pass rush with his front 4.

He suffered exactly one injury to his opening day starting secondary in Shawn Springs, and he missed less than half the season. The other catastrophic injury was to Pierson Prioleau, but since he was supposed to be the backup anyways this was hardly a season-ending issue. The reason it became an issue was Adam Archuleta, and Gregg Williams absolutely owns everything about that personnel move. Relying on Kenny Wright and Mike Rumph was a decision he made, and it was horrible. Losing one of your four starting defensive backs is not an excuse for the meltdown we experienced last year.

He also owns the front four. When they play well, Gregg Williams deserves credit. When they don't, as last year, he deserves part of the blame.

What you've said about the team's offseason I agree with, and it is encouraging. There's reason to think that the d-line wasn't broken, if we're willing to grant them that point, so long as other areas can pick up the slack. We have the depth at CB and Safety. We have two new starters at LB. Even if Prioleau goes down we have LaRon Landry, behind him Omar Stoutmire. Both are likely better than Vernon Fox and/or Troy Vincent, who saw field last year.

I don't want to lay the blame too hard, but at the same time can I be confident about making Gregg Williams my head coach after 2006? The answer might be yes, presuming a rebound in '07, but what happens if he comes out with the 20-32nd ranked defense next year? I don't want to place an insane emphasis on '06, but it should definitely factor into our future coaching considerations.

At this point he's had more good years than bad, so I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt defensively. As a Head Coach candidate? I'm less certain.

Go Register. Or else.

by Skin Patrol on Jun 19, 2007 1:07 PM EDT up reply actions

I'll grant you that...

about the head coaching.

And you can blame him for AA, but given the fact that PP was by all accounts the starter by that opening kickoff, you almost have to say that he lost 2 opening day starters.

And losing Springs last year was probably the 1 loss the defense couldn't make up for. Even losing Taylor wouldn't have been as catastrophic.

I'm not going to be the guy who defends GW when he doesn't produce... but there were a lot of things wrong with the team last year, especially with some of the personel decisions, that I'm not going to throw him under the bus all by his onesy.

For all that was wrong in '06, you'd need a really big bus...

by TexSkins on Jun 19, 2007 1:46 PM EDT up reply actions

WashingCHIN

I wish this hadn't been brought up, because I'm a huge fan of old-school coaches (Coach Gibbs was one once...now he sugar-coats and comforts his boys-I mean players). Personally, I've always been a big Cohwer fan, but I must concede that if Carolina is much more likely to get him :(

It's wise that they are looking at other coaches, as it's not guaranteed that Gibbs will be back in '08, especially in the (holding breath) unlikelyhood of a consecutive dismal performance by the team. I do like Williams as a replacement, but only if Cowher isn't available...and also after considering the one or two good coach(es) (possibly) available next year, though probably more in a couple seasons. There are a couple good DC's in the pipeline...ok, i'm tired.

by JustinU804 on Jun 19, 2007 7:05 PM EDT reply actions