National Football League

5 Candidates To Replace Sean McVay As Redskins Offensive Coordinator

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 2:00 p.m. ET

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Jan 1, 2017; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins head coach Jay Gruden talks with offensive coordinator Sean McVay before the game between the Washington Redskins and the New York Giants at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Sean McVay is officially going to be coaching the Los Angeles Rams now. Here is a look at some possible replacements for the departed Washington Redskins offensive coordinator.

Just when it looked like the Washington Redskins were going to be able to retain one of their coordinators, the Los Angeles Rams swooped in and took him. Sean McVay, the 30-year-old who had been at the helm of the Redskins offense for the past three years, took a head coaching job with the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday. The job makes him the youngest head coach in NFL history.

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With McVay gone, Jay Gruden is going to have to find a replacement for the energetic offensive coordinator. The task will not be easy, given how good that the Redskins were on offense during the 2016 season, but it is most certainly doable.

There are a couple of good options available on the coaching market right now, while the Redskins also have some strong internal candidates that could take the job. With that said, here is a look at five candidates who the Redskins should strongly consider to replace McVay.

Dec 4, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; General view of a Washington Redskins helmet and logo prior to the game against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

5. Wes Phillips

If the Redskins are looking for a young, internal candidate to take over for the future, then they will certainly give Wes Phillips some consideration. CSN Mid-Atlantic’s JP Finlay confirmed in a tweet that Phillips would be on the team’s short list of internal candidates.

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Phillips has been the Redskins tight end coach for the past three years. He actually took over for McVay at the position after Jay Gruden elected to promote the young coach. In three years with the team, Phillips has put some prolific numbers together. He has helped to turn Jordan Reed into one of the best tight ends in the league, while the team has also developed some other talent at the position.

Most notably, during the 2016 season Phillips helped Vernon Davis to have a renaissance after a few years of poor play. He really turned the veteran into a contributor, and that has to be a positive for him. It also helps Phillips’ cause that he has strong bloodlines. His father, Wade Phillips, is one of the best defensive coordinators in the NFL, and has to be considered an option for the Redskins opening.

I am not sure that the time is right for Phillips yet. He definitely deserves some consideration, but he is probably not the top internal candidate yet. It is also possible that he could follow McVay to Los Angeles if McVay offers him a promotion. It depends on how close he is with the league’s youngest head coach.

4. Greg Olson

If the Redskins are going to look outside of the organization for a replacement, Greg Olson could end up being one of their top options. The team should look for a coach that has a strong track record with quarterbacks, and Olson definitely offers that.

Across league circles, Olson is considered to be a bit of a quarterback guru. Everywhere he has gone, he has been able to lead some quarterbacks to success. Though he had trouble in Jacksonville last year, that was far from his fault. Blake Bortles never concerned himself with working hard to get better, and that is what coast Olson his job.

On Olson’s track record is a laundry list of great work with quarterbacks. Under Olson, Josh Freeman, Marc Bulger, and Derek Carr were able to become solid starters. Without Olson, the former two regressed terribly, while the latter has become a Pro Bowl player. Still, Olson has an excellent body of work and deserves some consideration.

At the very least, the Redskins should give Olson an interview. He may not be right for the team at this time, but they should still do their due diligence to ensure that they get the best candidate possible for the job.

3. Bill Musgrave

In 2005, Bill Musgrave served as the quarterbacks coach for the Redskins. More than a decade later, he is coming off of a terrific season as the Oakland Raiders offensive coordinator, and it is frankly a surprise that he is available.

In 2016, the Raiders offense was one of the best units in the league. They finished sixth in total yardage and seventh it total points all while seeing some development from their top guys. Derek Carr has become a franchise quarterback, while Latavius Murray saw some success as a runner. Musgrave knows how to call plays and he could work some magic with the Washington personnel.

Musgrave also has a decent track record for rushing offenses, as he has coached five top 10 attacks during his eight different years as an offensive coordinator. Among those was the year that Adrian Peterson broke the 2,000 yard mark rushing the ball for the Minnesota Vikings. Musgrave could really help the Redskins improve their ground game, so he should get a call from the team.

Again, Gruden is probably going to want some continuity. Still, Musgrave is an excellent candidate who could work in Washington. He is the best external candidate available, so the Redskins should at least reach out to him.

2. Bill Callahan

This would be the ultimate safe move to keep continuity while keeping a veteran coach with a lot of experience. Over the course of his career in football, Bill Callahan has served as a head coach, an offensive coordinator, and an offensive line coach. He has a lot of ties to the Gruden family as well.

Callahan used to work as the offensive coordinator under Jon Gruden, older brother of Jay Gruden. The two spent a lot of time together in Oakland, and even faced off against each other in a Super Bowl. The Buccaneers and Gruden won that contest, but Callahan holds no grudges. He has served as the offensive line coach for the Redskins for the past two years, and has done a remarkable job.

Callahan has a good track record of developing talent along the line, though his play calling left a lot to be desired in his last stint as an offensive coordinator (Dallas Cowboys 2012-2014). Still, he develops lineman like nobody else, and that has been seen through the vast improvements of Morgan Moses and Brandon Scherff over the past two years.

The only real concern with naming Callahan coordinator is that he does not work much with quarterbacks. Still, the Redskins already have a strong quarterbacks coach, so Callahan will certainly be considered for the position. He could end up winning it because of his experience and knowledge of the team.

1. Matt Cavanaugh

The Redskins need to make sure that their new candidate will be able to work with the skill set of Kirk Cousins. That said, the safest option to ensure that can happen would be Matt Cavanaugh. The veteran offensive coach would be an excellent fit for the team and could help continue their success.

Cavanaugh has spent the past two seasons as the quarterbacks coach for the Redskins, and the results have been great. He has helped lead Cousins to putting up solid numbers, and really helped to transform the quarterback. Under Cavanaugh’s tutelage, Cousins has posted a TD-INT rate of 54-to-23, a completion percentage over 68, and over 9,000 passing yards. Those are remarkable numbers, and they would only get better with Cavanaugh at the helm.

It also helps Cavanaugh’s cause that he has worked as an NFL offensive coordinator in the past. From 1997 to 2004, he was the offensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears and the Baltimore Ravens. He helped lead the Ravens to a Super Bowl title in 2000, and also won a couple of Super Bowl rings as a player. In short, his experience would allow him to truly lead the Redskins offensive staff while keeping some continuity.

If Gruden looks for an internal hire, I would expect Cavanaugh’s name to be at the top of the list. Gruden has too much to lose to look outside of the organization, so this could end up being the perfect fit.