The Dallas Cowboys coaching staff may be on the verge of growing even stronger for the 2020 season. Mike McCarthy has assembled several experienced members to work with defensive coordinator Mike Nolan.
Based on the names available, there was definitely a nod to experience. Now that all but two teams have been eliminated from the playoff chase, a few more names have been added to the pool and one in particular seems to have piqued Dallas’ interest. It’s a name that is familiar to the Jones family, too, as former Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator George Edwards is now on the market and interviewing in Dallas, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer.
The Cowboys have not yet named a linebackers coach, though they have hired Scott McCurley to the staff. McCurley was an assistant with Green Bay, including many years helping with the linebackers, for 13 seasons with McCarthy in Green Bay. Edwards’ specialty is the linebacker position, and that’s where he’s worked with Dallas in the past.
Edwards was a linebackers coach with Dallas from 1998, under new head coach Chan Gailey, through 2001, under Dave Campo. It was during this time he first worked with Mike Zimmer, who was Dallas’ DC from 200 through 2006.
Edwards has spent the last six years with Minnesota under Zimmer. Zimmer gets the lion’s share of credit for the Vikings’ defensive performances, but it’s been a great run for the unit in general and Edwards certainly deserves some of that credit.
Here’s a listing of their DVOA finishes (a Football Outsiders metric that measures per-play performance that takes into account opponent strength and game situation) during Edwards’ tenure.
2019: 7th
2018: 4th
2017: 2nd
2016: 8th
2015: 14th
2014: 23rd
The ascent is clearly evident as the regime got its claws into the personnel and affected change.
Here’s a look at Edwards’ history as a defensive coordinator, which also included stints with Washington and Buffalo.
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