The Dallas Cowboys' season has been over for weeks, but that doesn't mean they're on vacation. Team owner/GM Jerry Jones is working overtime to find a suitable replacement for defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus.
The Cowboys have brought in several candidates to fill the position, but so far, to no avail. That might be on the verge of changing, though. According to Cowboys insider Todd Archer of ESPN, Dallas narrowed down its search to four potential suitors.
Cowboys Have 4 Strong Candidates For Defensive Coordinator Opening
"Cowboys defensive coordinator update: Jonathan Gannon interviews in-person Tuesday. Christian Parker interviews in-person Wednesday. With Daronte Jones, those are the three in-person interviews so far. Jim Leonhard remains in the running but can't have an in-person talk yet," Archer wrote on X.
Jonathan Gannon certainly seems like someone who could help Brian Schottenheimer's team. While he drew plenty of criticism for the Philadelphia Eagles' Super Bowl loss and his tenure with the Arizona Cardinals didn't go well, he has head coaching experience and is more than familiar with the NFC East and its dynamics. He knows the Eagles and their personnel inside out, as well as Nick Sirianni.
The same goes for Christian Parker. The coach has been a prominent name and a fast riser on the market for the past couple of years. He'd probably be the next in line to take the reins of the Eagles' defense if incumbent defensive coordinator Vic Fangio were to retire or leave. Not only would he help the Cowboys' defense, but losing him would be a big blow to the Eagles' coaching staff.
Daronte Jones isn't as popular as the first two candidates, but he's also made waves in the league for his job with the Minnesota Vikings. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores takes most of the credit -- and rightfully so -- for his exotic blitz packages and whatnot. However, Jones has also played a big role in developing their secondary and limiting the opposition's passing game.
Last, but not least, Jim Leonhard has drawn some buzz for several defensive coordinator positions as well. He's been one of Sean Payton's right hands with the Denver Broncos, serving as his defensive backs coach and defensive passing game coordinator. He's also got head coaching experience in college. That being said, the Cowboys will probably have to wait until the Broncos' season is over to interview him in person, and they may not want to wait that much to fill this position.