As the Giants resume their high-level organizational meetings on Monday, their defensive coordinator, Perry Fewell, will interview for the vacant Redskins head coaching job.
It would be quite a staff upheaval if Fewell were hired by the Redskins, given the Giants’ offensive coordinator, Kevin Gilbride, last week announced his retirement after 10 years with the team, the last seven running the offense.
Fewell directed a defense that struggled during much of the 0-6 start of the 2013 season but then improved dramatically, so much so the unit finished No. 8 in the league in total defense. Fewell admittedly simplified some of his schemes to allow his players a bit more freedom, and that made a big difference in the performance on the field.
Fewell, 51, is no stranger to interviewing for head-coach positions. In 2011, he spoke with the Browns, Panthers, Broncos and Titans but did not get any of those jobs. In 2009, he served as interim head coach for the Bills after Dick Jauron was fired during the season. Fewell went 3-4 in his seven-game stay as the head coach in Buffalo.
There is no clear-cut favorite to succeed Mike Shanahan with the Redskins. Colts offense coordinator Jim Caldwell has already met with Redskins general manager Bruce Allen. Other candidates include Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott, Cowboys special teams coordinator Rich Bissaccia, Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell and Vanderbilt head coach James Franklin. Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden could also be in the mix. Allen has said he may meet with as many as 10-to-12 candidates before narrowing the field.
The Giants’ ownership and front office personnel are not finished investigating what went wrong in 2013, with more changes to Tom Coughlin’s staff likely forthcoming.