The Washington Redskins lost their special teams coordinator on Wednesday. Now, they may lose two of their better position coaches as well.
If you asked Redskins fans to name one position coach that they definitely didn’t want to lose, they would probably say Jim Tomsula. The defensive line coach has done an excellent job in developing guys like Matt Ioannidis, Jonathan Allen, and Daron Payne into one of the team’s best units. He is well-respected across the league, and may be the best defensive line coach in the NFL.
On the offensive side of the ball, the position coach that many fans would point to as a solid performer is Bill Callahan. The offensive line coach helped to develop Morgan Moses and Chase Roullier into solid starters, and though his methods have been questioned amid the slew of injuries the offensive line has suffered in the past two seasons, he is still a solid performer.
So, why do I bring these two coaches up? Well, it appears that they may want out from the Redskins circus.
More from Riggo's Rag
- Highlighting the best Commanders 2023 NFL Draft betting props
- 3 late Commanders rumors drawing buzz ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft
- 4 bold predictions for the Commanders 2023 NFL Draft
- Commanders News: Chase Young trade, draft day, CB riser and Sam Howell
- Bet365 VA Bonus Code – Claim $200 Guaranteed With Sign-Up Bonus
According to Chris Russell of 106.7 The Fan, both Tomsula and Callahan are ready to leave the team. Here’s what Russell said about the coaches that wanted out.
"I was told (last week) that there were three coaches specifically. And I’ve been reporting about Callahan wanting out and Tomsula wanting out, and the third coach was Ben Kotwica."
This is just a rumor for the moment, but it’s still concerning, to say the least. With the team staying tight-lipped about staffing decisions and Kotwica defecting to take the special teams coordinator job with the Falcons — the same title he had with the Redskins — it’s fair to worry about the future of the team.
Callahan was always expected to leave, as it seemed that his influence was wearing thin at the end of the season. Realistically, the offensive line injuries have been a problem, so a potential split was expected because of this. Callahan was expected to look for new work while the Redskins would find a new coach who could hopefully keep the line healthy.
However, Tomsula leaving would be not only a surprise, but it would be a devastating loss for the team’s defense. Tomsula has done such a great job of developing defensive linemen. If he leaves the team, it’s possible that the unit could regress as a whole. And at the very least, the team certainly wouldn’t be in the position to draft and develop quality linemen as they have done in each of the past few seasons. If they lose Tomsula, they will need to find an adequate replacement.
Frankly speaking, we won’t know if these guys are out until we know. The Redskins have been secretive about their plans so far, and it doesn’t seem that anyone really knows what they are doing at the moment. Until that changes, expect to hear more and more rumors about uncertainty in the coaching staff.