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          NFL Nation

          Quick Takes: Vic Fangio

          • John Keim, ESPN Staff WriterJan 19, 2015, 06:30 AM ET
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              John Keim covers the Washington Commanders for ESPN. He joined ESPN in 2013 after a stint with the Washington Post. He started covering the team in 1994 for the Journal Newspapers and later for the Washington Examiner. He has authored/co-authored four books. You can also listen to him on 'The John Keim Report', which airs on ESPN Richmond radio, and follow him on Twitter @john_keim
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          Here are some thoughts on the Washington Redskins coaching search as talks with former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio continued:

          • What I know is that the Redskins clearly like him, but no deal was offered Sunday (nothing formal at least), according to a source with knowledge of the situation. As of Sunday night, Fangio did not have any other interviews scheduled so it could come down to Washington and Chicago.

          • It’s hard to imagine this lasting beyond Monday (that’s just a guess; not something I was told). Coaching staffs will be headed to the Senior Bowl and practices begin Tuesday. That doesn’t mean it will happen because of it, but it’s a factor.

          • If it’s a bidding war, I think you know who will win. The Redskins will pay their assistants quite a bit; the Bears have the reputation of not being quite so free with their cash. Money talks in all walks of life so it does matter.

          • However, I wonder about this other factor as well: John Fox will be in his first season as a head coach in Chicago. The Bears just gave him a four-year contract so you figure there’s more job security there than in Washington.

          • Jay Gruden has four years left (all guaranteed) but he was 4-12 in his first season with an owner who has never had a head coach last more than four years. In fact, in Redskins owner Dan Snyder’s tenure, he’s had three coaches that he hired last two years or less. Snyder also fired a fourth who had been with him for a season and a half (Norv Turner, whom he inherited).

          • The Redskins already run the 3-4, which Fangio has mostly run during his career. Chicago has run a 4-3 for a long time and Fox has run a 4-3 during his two stints as a head coach in Carolina and Denver. Keep in mind, though, that Fangio ran a 4-3 when he was Indianapolis’ defensive coordinator from 1999-2001.

          • With Washington Fangio would be working for an offensive-minded head coach. Fox’s expertise has been on defense. In other words, here Fangio might have a little more autonomy. Does that matter? I don’t know, but I do know Fangio worked for a defensive-minded head coach in Carolina and Houston (Dom Capers in both cases) and Indianapolis (Jim Mora).

          • The Redskins need some work defensively, but they do have the fifth overall pick in a draft that has some intriguing defensive talent who (as of now at least) project to that range. But they’re not exactly teeming with talent on defense. Then again, the Bears have the seventh overall pick.

          • In Washington, it's easy to paint a scenario where a new coordinator and general manager would want possibly three new starters in the secondary, at least one at linebacker (maybe two, depending on what they think of Perry Riley) and perhaps two more along the line. They might not make that many changes, but in two years this group will look a whole lot different.

          • The Bears’ defense was worse than Washington’s. They were 30th in total yards and 31st in points allowed per game. Clearly, they will need to make changes as well.

          • Fangio shares an agent with Jay Gruden (as does potential secondary coach Ed Donatell). Fangio has never coached with Fox.