Landing Callahan a Coup for the Redskins

Because of the nature of football, one coach can mean a lot to one team and very little to another. That's why offensive line coach Bill Callahan was no longer of much use to the Dallas Cowboys but could be a game-changer for the Washington Redskins. 

Callahan, whose contract expired at the end of the 2014 Cowboys' season, jumped from Dallas to Washington this week—a move which could soon be viewed as a significant coup for a Redskins team that has some major pass-protection issues. 

Category	Total	Rank
Pass-blocking efficiency	84.1	5th
Sacks allowed	9	2nd
Yards per carry	4.6	3rd

Callahan had already left his schematic mark on the Dallas line, which is sending three 24-year-old recent first-round picks to the Pro Bowl and is widely considered to be one of the best in football. The foundation has already been laid. 

The Redskins have a decent amount of talent but lack the training and guidance that an offensive line maestro like Callahan, who also had a ton of success with the Raiders and Jets earlier in his career, brings to a line.

How much more might he be able to get out of three-time Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams? Think about how impressionable this line is, with four recent draft picks—Josh LeRibeus, Tom Compton, Morgan Moses and Spencer Long—all 25 or younger. 

None of those guys have emerged at guard or tackle, but at some point you have to try something other than just going back to the draft for more of 'em. At some point, you have to try to make do with what you have. 

With those four, Williams, experienced center Kory Lichtensteiger and veteran guards Shawn Lauvao and Chris Chester, this line really does have a lot of talent. And if there's anyone in football who can get the most out of that talent, it's Callahan. 

That might explain why, according to ESPN.com's John Keim, "as many as eight teams were interested in hiring him."

It's not as though former line coach Chris Foerster didn't have a strong reputation, but Foerster had five years to get this line on track. It was time for a fresh start. 

That probably means less zone blocking and more power and gap concepts, which is something Williams and Lauvao should have no trouble with. It could be an adjustment for veterans Chester and Lichtensteiger, but Gruden has a preference for power running and they certainly wouldn't have drafted big bodies Moses and Long in 2014 without thinking they could be well-suited for that scheme. 

Position	Player	Size
Left tackle	Trent Williams	6'5", 314 lbs
Left guard	Shawn Lauvao	6'3", 315 lbs
Center	Stefen Wisniewski*	6'3", 315 lbs
Right guard	Spencer Long	6'5", 320 lbs
Right tackle	Morgan Moses	6'6", 314 lbs

So Callahan could already have all of his future starters in place, but he's also on board early enough for Washington to consider ideal fits in free agency or the draft. 

This might not be an overnight fix, but most of the pieces might already be in place. And now, the Redskins have a fresh and energetic presence to lead that unit while steering it away from concepts that far too often caused breakdowns in pass protection. 

Offensive line coaches don't win Super Bowls, but this is all part of the big picture. Good teams master the micro in order to become successful at the macro level. Here, the Redskins are doing just that. 

Brad Gagnon has covered the NFC East for Bleacher Report since 2012.

Follow @Brad_Gagnon