The Dolphins appear to have moved to the finalist stage in their interview process. Second interviews are expected for Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel and Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
While neither of this cycle’s early hires — Nathaniel Hackett and Matt Eberflus — interviewed with the Dolphins, the team did speak with Cowboys DC Dan Quinn. He will not take one of the remaining available jobs, instead preferring to stay in Dallas. The Dolphins are leaning offense this time around. Their second round of interviews are not expected to take place until next week, Rapoport adds (on Twitter). Considering Daboll’s connection to the Giants, this timetable is interesting.
Strongly connected to both the Dolphins and Giants’ HC vacancies, Daboll may end up having his pick of the two jobs. The Giants hired Bills assistant GM Joe Schoen, who has already interviewed Daboll twice. The Dolphins are believed to have the four-year Bills OC slotted as their frontrunner; it is looking like the point man for Josh Allen‘s ascent will have a new job soon.
A three-year Cowboys OC, Moore interviewed with the Broncos, Jaguars and Vikings as well. At 33, he would be one of the youngest HC hires in NFL history. Despite Dallas’ early playoff exit, the NFC East champions ranked first in points scored and total offense this season. McDaniel looms as a bit of a wild card, given that he has not interviewed with another team during this cycle. This also marks the first offseason in which the San Francisco OC is receiving close attention for a coaching job. Unlike Daboll and Moore, McDaniel is a non-play-calling OC.
Here is how Miami’s HC search looks as of Thursday afternoon:
- Thomas Brown, running backs coach/assistant head coach (Rams): Interviewed 1/21
- Brian Daboll, offensive coordinator (Bills): Second interview expected; viewed as favorite?
- Leslie Frazier, defensive coordinator (Bills): Interviewed 1/16
- Vance Joseph, defensive coordinator (Cardinals): Interviewed 1/21
- Mike McDaniel, offensive coordinator (49ers): Second interview expected
- Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator (Cowboys): Second interview expected
- Dan Quinn, defensive coordinator (Cowboys): Interviewed 1/20; remaining in Dallas
I think the offense minded hc would be ok IF they call their own plays . it seem more so then not that when a team pushes them to hire a oc to run things I’d doesn’t turn out to well . if a oc is hire to hc then they are hired for their of abilities so they should call the plays .
Flores had a big hand in the defense but I didn’t think he actually called the plays but I could be wrong but the def was good . so my worry with a offense minded hc is the def will get neglected or that they hire a new dc that didn’t have a like minded philosophy like Flores had for the defense and thus the defense changing alot and thus a good defense turns in to crap.
The offense needs a pulse . they have good WRs and the RBs are good not too tier but u can run a good offense with em in place . The line isn’t the best that needs improvement but the was doing better . but for me the main issue is the QB I watched alot of games where he had time but couldn’t hit any wide open WR nor a covered one. the dolphins had to throw to waddle just to complete passes cause tua didn’t seem to have any chemistry with anyone else. Tua could throw deep or mid range really just short range to short medium . he sprinkled in a few longer throws but u could see the oc trying to ensure tua could complete his throws . now u put a good qb in there and the offense gets leaps better . To me tua will be a bust . I thought that’s since I saw him in college.
Any good HC candidate, especially a first year head coach, whether he’s offensive or defensive minded, if they’re smart, they’ll typically hire someone on the other side of the ball with alot of experience and just let them do their thing..
Like Kyle Shanahan, Kingsbury, and McVay when they all started out, they all teamed up with very bright minded DCs, and let them control the defense..
Get Brain Daboll at HC and get a experienced DC like a Marvin Lewis