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Today we got news that Woody Johnson might hire Charley Casserly as a consultant if there is a shakeup within the organization.
Casserly's role would be unclear at this point. I am cautiously encouraged by this development. Casserly has been the part of championship organizations and is still connected to the league through his work on NFL Network. I am hoping Woody Johnson would bring him in to bounce big picture ideas about building a culture. I also would be happy if Casserly was one of many people Woody took recommendations from on candidates for general manager and head coach. I would be less enthused if Casserly ran the search. There you would run the risk of limiting the pool of candidates to Casserly's friends and former employees, perhaps missing out on some good candidates. That scenario still might have a good result, but I'd like to think that after a decade and a half Woody Johnson can synthesize information from a few key advisers and make his own decisions.
In any event, with Casserly potentially in the mix, here are some names of people who have ties to him who might be considered candidates for various jobs. Please note these will not be the only candidates. There are no guarantees any of them would be hired or even interviewed. Just put these names in the back of your mind for now.
General Manager
Mike Maccagnan, Director of College Scouting, Houston Texans
He worked under Casserly in Houston and has been with the franchise since its founding. Before that he worked under Casserly as a scout in Washington. Maccaganan has worked his way up the chain and was promoted to his current job after the 2011 Draft.
Bobby Grier, Senior Personnel Adviser, Houston Texans'
Grier is another original Texans front office member. He has a background in coaching, pro personnel, and college scouting. Before he came to Houston he worked in New England's front office during the Bill Parcells and Pete Carroll years.
Head Coach
Vic Fangio, Defensive Coordinator, San Francisco 49ers
Fangio has San Francisco's defense playing at a high level this season despite missing some key parts. He's done a tremendous job developing players during his run in San Francisco. Guys like Ahmad Brooks, Navarro Bowman, Aldon Smith, and others have blossomed under him. Fangio was Houston's original defensive coordinator. Due to the situation in San Francisco, he also might be available for an assistant job.
Norv Turner, Offensive Coordinator, Minnesota Vikings
Pursuant to news Charley Casserly will be part of #Jets search, MIN OC Norv Turner is being considered. Cass & Norv worked together in DC.
— Brian Bassett (@Brian_Bassett) December 22, 2014
This would be what I would worry about if Casserly had autonomy with a search. He might stick with what he knows. Casserly hired Turner as head coach in Washington, and Norv's work running teams has not been good. He's a sub .500 coach in 15 years with 3 different teams. He only made the Playoffs 4 times in those 15 years, and 3 of them came after inheriting a 14 win Chargers team. His San Diego teams underachieved at the end. He's a great offensive coach but not good at running the show.
Assistant Coaches
Mike Nolan, Defensive Coordinator, Atlanta Falcons
Nolan might be on the way out in Atlanta. He worked for Casserly in Washington. After his stint in DC, he was the Jets' defensive coordinator for a year. Things aren't pretty for his defense in Atlanta, but his track record is solid. He'd likely be a strong contender for defensive coordinator in a scenario where the Jets have hired Todd Bowles as head coach. Bowles has twice worked under Nolan on the NFL level. Nolan was also the Baltimore defensive coordinator directly before Rex Ryan so any overlap between their schemes would ease a transition.
Greg Roman, Offensive Coordinator, San Francisco 49ers
Roman's stock has taken a hit this year, but it is only one year of his career. He has been an adaptable and innovative playcaller. He was also part of the offensive team that developed Andrew Luck at Stanford.
Dom Capers, Defensive Coordinator, Green Bay Packers
Capers' tenure has been up and down in Green Bay. If the Packers have another defensive meltdown in the postseason and he is let go, the Jets might be a landing spot for one of the primary men to popularize the zone blitz. He was Casserly's hire as the first head coach of the Texans.
Terry Robiskie, Wide Receivers Coach, Atlanta Falcons
He's another member of the Atlanta coaching staff whose job status is up in the air. He was part of the Washington connection with Casserly in the 1990's. The Falcons have developed one of the best receiving corps in the league under his watch.
Russ Grimm, Offensive Line Coach
Grimm is a former Washington assistant in the Casserly days. He also coached the offensive line for Pittsburgh and Arizona. There was a point where he was considered one of the finest line coaches in the league and got head coaching interviews. He even got an interview from the Jets in 2009. A member of the legendary Hogs offensive line as a player with Washington, Grimm has been out of the league the last two years.