Cowboys News: Robert Saleh, Frazier Reportedly Set to Interview amid Deion Rumors

After parting ways with Mike McCarthy earlier this week, the Dallas Cowboys' search for a new head coach is reportedly beginning to take shape.

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Cowboys "have interest in and are expected to interview" former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh for their head coach opening, which would mark their first interview request so far.

According to Todd Archer of ESPN, the team also requested an interview with Leslie Frazier:

Frazier is set to meet with Cowboys on Monday, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Frazier spent the past year as an assistant head coach with the Seattle Seahawks after six years as the Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator. He also went 21-32-1 as a head coach of the Minnesota Vikings.

Saleh was fired from his position after the Jets' 2-3 start to the 2024 season, but the team struggled immensely in his absence. New York limped to a 5-12 finish and extended its playoff drought to 14 straight years, the longest streak in any of the four major men's North American sports leagues.

The Jets' nosedive after Saleh's firing appears to bode well for his chances to secure another head coaching job this hiring cycle. The Jacksonville Jaguars announced on Tuesday that they completed an interview with the 45-year-old, and Rapoport reported that he will interview with the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday. ESPN's Nick Wagoner also named him as a candidate to take his old job as defensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers.

The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt explained that Saleh has a legitimate chance to land the Jacksonville opening and will be considered by other teams with head coaching vacancies.

"This one might feel like it's out of left field, but there's some real buzz about Saleh's chances of securing this job," Rosenblatt wrote. "Saleh might have been helped by Jets owner Woody Johnson's decision to fire him in Week 5, especially because of what happened afterward. The Jets were significantly worse after interim coach Jeff Ulbrich took over, particularly on defense, where Saleh had built the Jets into one of the league's Top-5 defenses in both 2022 and '23."

The Cowboys could use a defensive-minded coach who could help turn around a unit that ranked 28th with 355.2 yards allowed per game and 31st with 27.5 points allowed per game this season. Still, Dallas' search for a new head coach is only just beginning, so Saleh and Frazier could have some competition before being able to convince the team that they are the right person for the job.