My Top Three Redskins GM/Coaching Candidates

A change is needed in DC..........I think we can all agree on that, and that change needs to start from the top, and trickle down through the coaching ranks, and into the scouting department.  The search should start with a competent General Manager, and go from there.

I have outlined my top three candidates for the new Redskins GM, Head Coach, Offensive Coordinator and Defensive Coordinator below, and given a few words on why each would be a good fit for this franchise moving forward.

These candidates are in no particular order.

General Manager:

Duke Tobin(Director of Player Personnel - Bengals) - Duke is the son of well respected NFL former general manager Bill Tobin.  In his role as current director of player personnel, he has run the scouting department for head coach Marvin Lewis, and has brought in talent including Andy Dalton, AJ Green and Giovani Bernard.  He is credited for much of the turn-around of the Bengals organization over the last few years.  His time to become a general manager in the league has come.

Tom Gamble(V.P. of Player Personnel - Eagles) - Gamble comes from the Bill Polian tree, and brings a boat-load of success with him.  He was formerly with the San Francisco 49ers, and was a large part of their recent resurgence. He returned to the Eagles this year, and has seen the team thrive under his watchful eye.  Gamble has a unique eye for talent, and his practices and proven track record will make him a great GM candidate.

Jimmy Raye III(V.P. of Football Operations - Colts) - Raye is the son of former 49ers offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye II.  He is in his first year as VP of Football Operations with the Indianapolis Colts.  Prior to his position with the Colts, Raye was the Director of Player Personnel for the San Diego Chargers.  He was though to be in line for the General Manager position last year, but was passed over for an outside candidate.  The former player is a very well respected front office guy in NFL circles, and would be a great choice to take over as GM in Washington.

Head Coach:

Mike Zimmer(Defensive Coordinator - Bengals) - Personally, I think a defensive minded head coach would be great for this team, and I can't think of a better candidate than Mike Zimmer.  Zimmer Is one of, if not the best, defensive coordinators in the NFL.  He's well respected by his players, and has a good eye for talent.  Cincinnati would hate to lose Zimmer, but if the right people are in place(say his current director of player personnel Duke Tobin an new general manager), and the offer is too good to refuse, Zimmer may have some serious thinking to do.  Mike would surely bring back the 4-3 defense, which could be a much welcomed change.

Ken Whisenhunt(Offensive Coordinator - Chargers) - Whisenhunt brings a ton of NFL coaching experience with him.  He was a former player for the Washington Redskins from 1989-1990.  After his nine season in the NFL, he retired, and began his coaching career as a special teams coach at Vanderbilt.  His most notable positions were as offensive coordinator for the Steelers from 2004-2006, and then as head coach for the Arizona Cardinals from 2007-2012.  He is credited with helping to revive the career of Philip Rivers this year in San Diego, after the signal caller struggled under Norv Turner for the past few seasons.  Whisehunt's offense is very quarterback friendly, and would be excellent for Robert Griffin III to excel in.

Greg Roman(Offensive Coordinator - 49ers) - Roman is one of the hottest assistant coaches in the NFL, and at just 40 years old, he'll be coveted by many teams with a head coaching vacancy at season's end.  His offense is innovative, and he puts a high value on offensive line play.  He could be a perfect fit in DC under a good general manager.

I have to add one more name here, although I don't think he's much of a realistic possibility........................

Bill O'Brien(Head Coach - Penn St.) - I know I said this would not happen, because O'Brien has maintained he will remain at Penn State at least until his prized freshmen quarterback turns pro in a few years, but there is no denying that O'Brien desires to coach in the NFL one day.  It has always been rumored that O'Brien is holding out until Bill Belichick retires, in hopes of taking over the Patriots, but if Dan Synder is smart, he should reach out to the O'Brien camp, and at least convince him to come in for an interview.  O'Brien is known as a great quarterback coach, who turned former walk-on Matt McGloin into an All-Big 10 performer, and a starting quarterback with the Raiders.  If he can do this for a player like McGloin, imagine what he could do with Robert Griffin.  His offensive is innovative, and is predicated on taking advantage of mismatches.  He also loves to use his tight ends(I heard we may have a pretty good one in Jordan Reed).

Offensive Coordinator:

Mike Bobo(Offensive Coordinator - Georgia) - Bobo has been the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Georgia since 2006.  He was a quarterback for the Bulldogs from 1994-1997, and still holds several school passing records.  Bobo's offenses have been very good in a tough SEC conference, and his name is getting hotter and hotter in NFL circles.

George Godsey(Tight Ends coach - Patriots) - Godsey is my hand-picked coordinator if Bill O'Brien were to become head coach.  Godsey was a former quarterback at Georgia Tech, and spent his previous years coaching at The University of Central Florida as a running back and quarterback coach.  He is considered on of the brighter young minds in the game, and will get a chance to be an NFL coordinator in the near future.  Even if O'Brien doesn't sniff the opportunity with the Redskins, Godsey would still make a heck of an NFL offensive coordinator under an offensive-minded coach.

Greg Knapp(Quarterback Coach - Broncos) - Knapp started his coaching career in 1986 at Sacramento State, and has since served as offensive coordinator for the 49ers, Falcons, Raiders, and Seahawks.  He would make a great offensive coordinator for a defensive-minded head coach.

Defensive Coordinator:

Bud Foster(Defensive Coordinator - Virginia Tech) - Foster appears to be the head-coach-in-waiting at Virginia Tech, but if the money is right, would he consider making the relatively close move to the professional ranks to coordinate the defense of the Washington Redskins?  Foster's defenses consistently rank near the top of college football, and a move to the NFL could represent the respect he so very much deserves.

Rocky Seto(Secondary Coach/Passing Game Coordinator - Seahawks) - The 37 year old Seto started his coaching career as a volunteer assistant at USC under Paul Hackett, where he worked with the defense and special teams.  He became a full-time coach in 2003 under Pete Carroll, and took on his first job as defensive coordinator of the Trojans in 2009.  When Pete Carroll left USC for the NFL, he took Seto with him. Seto would be an excellent hire for a defensive minded coach.

Brendan Daly(Defensive Line coach - Vikings) - Daly is a fast-rising name in NFL coaching circles.  He has worked under Leslie Frazier, who is known to be a great defensive mind.  Daly would be an excellent candidate for a defensive-minded head coach.

Finally, I would like Bruce Allen to remain with the team in some capacity, as I believe he is a good salary cap guy, and someone who can be a face of the franchise.