Coaching Candidates Who Would Be Upgrades over Cowboys' Mike McCarthy

For now, the Dallas Cowboys appear content to stick with head coach Mike McCarthy. However, after an embarrassing loss in the Wild Card Round, franchise owner Jerry Jones acknowledged that he has to evaluate McCarthy and his staff.

"I got a lot to think about with regards to these coaches. I got a lot regarding these scouts. I got a lot regarding various aspects of the organization," Jones said on 105.3 The Fan (h/t ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio).

Might Jones be quietly be evaluating other options while keeping McCarthy as an insurance policy? It's possible, though Dallas isn't likely to make a coaching change unless it finds what it believes to be a clear-cut upgrade.

Here we'll examine three coaches who could be viewed as exactly that. These are hypothetical options, but ones Dallas should consider if it is thinking about making a change.

Dan Quinn

Terrance Williams/Associated Press

The first option Dallas might consider is replacing McCarthy with defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who helped spark a major defensive turnaround in 2021, and the players seem to respond to him extremely well.

A year ago, Dallas ranked 25th in scoring defense. This season, the defense ranked seventh in points allowed. Quinn has head-coaching experience, though like McCarthy, he carried his own questions about clock management—Atlanta Falcons fans aren't forgetting about the 28-3 Super Bowl LI debacle in the near future.

The other piece of the equation is that Quinn is a popular coaching candidate who could depart this offseason. According to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, Quinn is scheduled to interview with the rival New York Giants on Monday.

Given the success Dallas' defense had under Quinn this season, promoting him would make a lot of sense if McCarthy is shown the door. It would presumably keep him away from teams like New York, which would be a sort of double win for the Cowboys.

Sean Payton

Derick Hingle/Associated Press

If the Cowboys could snag New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton, they would almost certainly jump at the opportunity. Payton is one of the brighter offensive minds in the game, and he has a Super Bowl win on his resume.

Hiring Payton is a long shot, but it's not impossible. According to Ian Rapoport, Payton has not yet committed to returning to New Orleans in 2022. However, it's also likely that Payton wouldn't be an option for Dallas until at least 2023.

"It would be highly unlikely for Payton to coach another team in 2022, sources say," Rapoport wrote. "Rather, this would be a mini-retirement to recharge for a year after a season several people close to him described as incredibly challenging and difficult."

If the Cowboys were to hire Payton in 2023, they would likely owe the Saints compensation because he would still be under contract. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made a similar move when hiring Bruce Arians following his retirement from the Arizona Cardinals.

Payton, who was Dallas' quarterbacks coach before taking the Saints job, is likely at the top of Jones' wishlist. If he does become available, McCarthy should be concerned about his job security. It may not happen for another year, but you can bet that the New Orleans coach is firmly on Dallas' radar.

Jim Harbaugh

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Jim Harbaugh is another long shot because he's under contract with the Michigan Wolverines. However, Harbaugh has left college for the NFL before, and according to Florio, he would love to return to the NFL to try winning a Super Bowl.

The Cowboys have the offensive and defensive talent to give Harbaugh that opportunity.

What makes Harbaugh an attractive option is the quick success he found in his last NFL sting. When he joined the San Francisco 49ers in 2011, he immediately turned San Francisco into a contender. The 49ers went 6-10 the year before hiring Harbaugh. They went 13-3 and reached the NFC title game in his first season.

In Harbaugh's second season, he took the 49ers to the Super Bowl.

Harbaugh coached San Francisco to three NFC title games in his four years with the team before returning to college. The Cowboys haven't reached the NFC Championship Game since the 1995 season.

It's worth noting that Harbaugh only lasted four seasons in San Francisco before the franchise soured on him. If he could get the Cowboys to the Super Bowl, however, Dallas would likely accept him as a relatively short-term option.