Division rival gives Cowboys perfect Dan Quinn replacement after shocking split

The Dallas Cowboys have done extremely well to retain Dan Quinn as defensive coordinator for the last two seasons. Just taking last year into account, multiple teams requested to interview Quinn for their head coach vacancies, including the Colts, Broncos and Cardinals.

After leading the Cowboys defense to another strong season, Quinn figures to be a popular commodity during this year's hiring cycle. In fact, many close to Quinn believe he'll be more "receptive" to the right head coaching offer this offseason, per David Moore of the Dallas Morning News.

As of this writing, there's several teams in need of new coaches, including the Chargers, Commanders, Falcons, Raiders and Panthers.

At the very least, the Cowboys should already be crafting a list of potential replacements for their longtime defensive guru. Should they look outside the organization, Wink Martindale shockingly resigned from his post as Giants defensive coordinator on Black Monday.

Martindale would be a fantastic hire by the Cowboys.

Could Cowboys hire Wink Martindale to replace Dan Quinn as defensive coordinator?

Martindale will be in high demand this offseason. Teams might be wary of hiring him as their head coach, but there aren't many defensive coordinators better than Martindale. The Giants defense ranked No. 27 in points allowed this season, but they were run into the ground because the offense was a bottom-feeder.

Despite the adverse circumstances, Martindale's Giants tied Buffalo for the most takeaways (31) of any team this season. That's an impressive feat for a defense whose talent pales in comparison to that of the Bills and other upper-echelon defenses.

If Martindale can get that out of middling personnel, imagine what he can do with Micah Parsons, Trevon Diggs, DaRon Bland, DeMarcus Lawrence and Donovan Wilson? Martindale's blitz-heavy scheme could see the Cowboys return to the top of the league in terms of forced turnovers and takeaways.

The Cowboys hiring Martindale might be a long shot, but his relationship with Giants head coach Brian Daboll reportedly soured over the course of the season. The 60-year-old might relish the opportunity to foil Daboll's offense twice a year, and he'd be supported by one of the NFL's most prolific offenses.

All of this hinges on Quinn leaving for a head coaching gig, but all reports indicate Quinn's already made his decision. If the Cowboys opt for an external hire to replace Quinn instead of promoting from within, you'd be hard-pressed to name someone more cut out for the job than Martindale. He deserves to work his magic with a top defense and Dallas has exactly that.

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