Ranking potential replacements if Commanders cut ties with Ron Rivera

3. Greg Roman, Ravens OC

Roman just turned 50. He has extensive NFL experience coaching virtually every offensive position group and serving as a coordinator for almost a decade. Like Shane Steichen, he has been instrumental in turning a stagnant offense into a dynamic one, built around Lamar Jackson. Plus, he kind of resembles Brian Daboll, who seems to be doing quite well in his first year with the Giants. Then again, I’m very bad at facial recognition.

2. Jonathan Gannon, Eagles DC

My top two choices are defensive coordinators. There is an argument to be made for shifting away from the current coach – the more defensive-minded Ron Rivera – to grab someone to fix the offense. But I don’t agree with that. This team has invested quite a bit in its defense. If it is going to be good in the next 3-5 years, it needs to get that defense playing at the very high level. We all saw what Gannon did to the Washington Commanders last week. They had more sacks than points allowed. He is just 39 but has been coaching defenses in the NFL for more than a decade. Gannon is intense and analytical. He is not reckless. He does not blitz a lot. But his results are undeniable. Much like the Cincinnati Bengals of ten years ago – where both offensive coordinator Jay Gruden and defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer landed head coaching jobs, Philadelphia could easily lose both of its coordinators in the next year or two.

1. Demeco Ryans, 49ers DC

You will have to spend high for Ryans. The 38-year old is at the top of virtually everyone’s wish list. He will be a head coach in 2023. Barring a miraculous turn-around by Ron Rivera et al, I am hoping that job will be in Washington. Unlike Gannon, Ryans’ passion is obvious from a mile away. His defenses swarm. They attack. And they get results. Ryans has only been coaching for five years, but he had a 10-year career as an NFL player before that. No one is ever “can’t miss,” but I would roll the dice with Ryans ahead of anyone else out there.

There are plenty of other names worthy of consideration. By the end of the season, a few more assistants will go viral. If this were 2020, Commanders defensive backs coach Chris Harris would be prominently featured on any such list. He may still be the second best sub-coordinator level coach out there. (trailing only Jerrod Mayo, the heir apparent to the Belichick throne in New England.) But recent catastrophes in the Commanders secondary have slowed Harris’ ascension, and should the team jettison Rivera, it is likely to make a clean sweep of the entire staff.

Former coaches like Brian Flores and Vance Joseph could be on your list. They are not on mine – for entirely different reasons. I wouldn’t touch Cowboys coordinators Dan Quinn or Kellen Moore, also for entirely different reasons. Thomas Brown, Brian Callahan, Aaron Glenn, and Patrick Graham all interviewed for top spots last year. The truth is, there are plenty of candidates.

The Commanders have been hamstrung by their owner for more than 20 years. Any young coach coming in will need enough savvy and enough character to keep Daniel Snyder at bay. And Snyder’s questionable standing with the league as a whole further complicates matters. But that rarely keeps an eager young coach from accepting a head coaching job in the NFL.

Washington has had multiple HOF coaches – from Flaherty to Allen to Gibbs. Lombardi coached here. So did Mike Shanahan. We all know there are plenty of problems plaguing the current set-up. But there is also tremendous opportunity. If they choose the right coach for the job.