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Redskins: 5 defensive-minded coaches to target if they part with Jay Gruden

By Jacob Camenker

CINCINNATI, OH - NOVEMBER 25: Head coach Gregg Williams of the Cleveland Browns calls a play during the third quarter of the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on November 25, 2018 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OH - NOVEMBER 25: Head coach Gregg Williams of the Cleveland Browns calls a play during the third quarter of the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on November 25, 2018 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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CARSON, CA – DECEMBER 31: Head Coach Jack Del Rio of the Oakland Raiders looks on during the first quarter of the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at StubHub Center on December 31, 2017 in Carson, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
CARSON, CA – DECEMBER 31: Head Coach Jack Del Rio of the Oakland Raiders looks on during the first quarter of the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at StubHub Center on December 31, 2017 in Carson, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

Former Head Coach. Raiders. Jack Del Rio. 5. player. 28.

Del Rio is easily the most experienced candidate on this list. He held the head coaching job with the Jacksonville Jaguars for nine seasons and also coached the Oakland Raiders for three years. Before and between, he was a defensive coordinator for the Panthers and Broncos.

To put it lightly, that’s a lot.

While many would argue against a retread (and typically, I would be in that camp), Del Rio is a special case. During his NFL career, Del Rio has consistently proven to be one of the better defensive minds in the game. He helped to craft some very strong Denver defenses and did well when called upon as an interim coach when John Fox missed time due to health concerns. That’s what landed him a job with the Raiders.

While many remember Del Rio’s last season as a disappointment, retrospectively, it’s impressive that he was able to get that team to six wins. Frankly, the team didn’t have a lot of talent on either side of the ball, so Del Rio did well to milk as much out of those teams as he could. And, of course, he wasn’t in on the decision to trade Khalil Mack, so that’s a plus, too.

Del Rio could bring some discipline to the Redskins unit. If he brought in a strong defensive coordinator, that could be enough to ensure that the players on the side of the ball would improve their fundamentals and start tackling better. And at the very least, Del Rio would bring a new voice and philosophy to the team. So, that could be a plus.

Still, if the Redskins go for a defensive-minded guy, it might be better for them to find someone that isn’t a retread. Del Rio should still be an option if Jay Gruden ends up elsewhere, but for now, Del Rio is lower down on the list of options.

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