Who will Jerry Jones hire as the next Cowboys coach?

For most of the season, the Cowboys were supposed to be searching for a new coach. Late in the year, owner and general manager Jerry Jones appeared to be warming up to the idea of ​​keeping Mike McCarthy.

Last week, during the team’s exclusive period to speak with McCarthy, they refused to let him speak to the Bears. That created the impression that the Cowboys were going to try to work something out with McCarthy.

While Jones now says the two sides decided to part ways without negotiations, the truth appears to be that they were unable to get past the fundamental issue of the length of the contract. Jones wanted something short. McCarthy wanted more security. They reached a dead end before it was time to talk about the annual average. Now the Cowboys have moved on.

So what’s next for Jerry?

It’s impossible to rule out that the Cowboys and McCarthy eventually decide to get back together, if/when McCarthy doesn’t get an offer from a team like the Bears or Saints. Especially since quarterback Dak Prescott (and others, like linebacker Micah Parson) have expressed their desire for continuity. If he was going to accept a short-term deal, why would Jerry refuse?

Aside from McCarthy, where would Jerry look? The traditional categories are a coordinator with no head coaching experience, a fired former head coach, and a college coach.

The great coordinator is Ben Johnson, the trick wizard of the Lions’ offense. Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore has worked with Jones in the past. But if Jones is tempted to take the common approach of finding someone who is the complete opposite of his last coach, Jones could look to a younger defensive backs coach. (He hasn’t had a coach with a defensive background since Wade Phillips.)

As fired former coaches go, what about Bill Belichick? Belichick has historically expressed admiration for the Joneses when the Patriots and Cowboys prepared to play over the years, and Jones said last year that there “No doubtHe could work with Belichick — after he decided to keep McCarthy for the final year of his contract.

Belichick wants to come back. He wants to catch Don Shula for the all-time record for most wins. He took the North Carolina job because no one gave him a winking sign that he would be the coach to get the job at the end of the inevitable search. Nothing he or anyone else might say will erase the term that allows him to walk away from North Carolina for just $10 million.

In years past, there was a belief that Jones was enamored with Jon Gruden. Yes, his lawsuit against the league and Commissioner Roger Goodell will be complicated. Jerry certainly believes he can talk his way through whatever he needs to talk about in order to do whatever he chooses to do.

With college coaches gone, over the weekend we heard a rumor that Jones might be interested in Texas coach Steve Sarkisian. Although unproven, his name is worth mentioning as the cowboys embark on their search.

There’s also the possibility that Jones could try to work out a deal with another team for a well-known coach currently working for another team. He would have to be willing to give up one or more draft picks to make that happen.

Whoever takes the job must be willing to deal with Jerry being the voice of the team. Twice a week on the radio and after most matches. The coach will also have to put up with Jerry’s passion for charging fans to parade around the facility, staring at players and disrupting the work the team is trying to do.

Obviously, the coach will only be the cook. Neighbors will pick up groceries.

They currently have a roster made up of one item: the coach. However, they will make sure that the shopping spree attracts as much attention as possible.