The Dallas Cowboys have a strong offense led by quarterback Dak Prescott, but head coach Brian Schottenheimer's belief that former Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus would be the secret sauce that fixes the defense has turned out to have been a huge mistake.
As the Cowboys prepare for the 2025 season to come to an end, it seems like one step short of a virtual certainty that Eberflus is going to be fired and Dallas will need to spend most of the early stages of the offseason hiring a replacement.
Bringing any one of these five coaches, all of whom will be prime DC candidates for the 2025 season would be a huge win for Dallas, as it would immediately be an upgrade over whatever Eberflus was trying to do.
5 post-Matt Eberflus DC candidates Cowboys must hire
5. Giff Smith, DL coach, Los Angeles Rams
Smith has never been a defensive play-caller before, but he does have some experience as an interim head coach and has two decades with of time in as a defensive line coach. Smith's Rams are one of the best units in the league, and he could bring his magic touch to Dallas.
4. Steve Clinkscale, DB coach, Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers are one of the hardest teams in the league to throw the ball on, and Clinkscale's combination of schematic innovation and plain old good coaching are two of the main reasons why. While he may get poached by Jesse Minter if LA's DC gets a head coaching opportunity, Clinkscale will be a hot commodity.
3. Nick Rallis, DC, Arizona Cardinals
Rallis may end up getting canned if Jonathan Gannon is dumped in Arizona, which is a shame, because he has some very creative designs that went underutilized due to talent deficiencies. With a strong draft, Dallas could get Rallis the horses he needs to run his scheme the way he wants to.
2. Jim Leonhard, PGC, Denver Broncos
Leonhard has been an integral part of the Broncos' sudden rise to the NFL's elite, and it seems like a foregone conclusion that he will be someone's defensive coordinator in the 2026 season. If Dallas doesn't act fast, the former NFL DB will be as good as gone.
1. Al Harris, PGC, Chicago Bears
The biggest loss the Cowboys may have suffered during the transition to Schottenheimer was letting Harris bolt for the Bears. Harris' Bears are leading the NFL in interceptions, and the secondary has fallen apart without him. A reunion would make so much sense for everyone.