Could Rob Ryan be the next defensive coordinator of the Washington Redskins? According to Albert Breer of The MMQB, the team is considering him and is set to interview him for the job.
Per sources, the Redskins will be interviewing ex-Bill ass't Rob Ryan for their defensive coordinator opening.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) January 16, 2017
This is quite honestly a shocking development. The past two stops in Ryan’s career haven’t ended well.
He engineered two of the worst defenses in NFL history while with the New Orleans Saints from 2013-15. And while Ryan has put together two defenses that ranked among the best in the league (2006, 2013), his other 10 seasons as a defensive coordinator have resulted in eight campaigns in which his defense ranked 22nd or worse.
This isn’t counting the 2016 season, when Ryan was an assistant head coach for his brother, Rex Ryan, with the Buffalo Bills, who ranked No. 19 in the league in total defense.
While it could be argued that Washington has more defensive talent than Ryan has had in New Orleans and Buffalo the past three years, his track record of mediocrity (or worse) isn’t ideal.
The Redskins have also interviewed the likes of Mike Pettine and Gus Bradley, former head coaches who made their bones as defensive coordinators. Wade Phillips was also a candidate until he joined the Los Angeles Rams.
It’s going to be interesting to see where this coaching search goes from here.