Lincoln Riley could ignite NFL bidding war: Browns, Cowboys, Redskins should covet Oklahoma coach

Will the NFL come calling for Lincoln Riley? If they want to compete for Super Bowls there should be a dozen teams vying for one of the brightest offensive minds in football.

Oklahoma football coach Lincoln Riley is a unicorn among coaches. He is a brilliant offensive mind who developed the last two Heisman winners and No. 1 picks in the NFL Draft and he might make it three years in a row with Jalen Hurts. He should be the object of affection of every NFL team in need of a head coaching upgrade. I’m not saying Riley is thinking about leaving Oklahoma where he could coach for the next 40 years if he wanted. I’m saying NFL teams who need a head coach should do everything possible to get him to leave Norman, Oklahoma.

The NFL is adapting to the college game as shown with a prevalence of former Air Raid quarterbacks who used to be treated like people with the plague in NFL circles. Now, they’re the cool trend with Jared Goff and Nick Foles getting a Super Bowl, Patrick Mahomes winning the NFL MVP and Kyler Murray and Baker Mayfield being the last two No. 1 picks.

If teams can’t get Riley disciples at quarterback, they should just get Riley.

Instead of hiring Kliff Kingsbury as the Cardinals did last year despite having a losing record at Texas Tech, imagine teams fighting to bid for Riley’s services.

The bidding would run high because of his background and track record developing quarterbacks who aren’t from central casting. The NFL has a few brilliant offensive minds with Andy Reid, Sean Payton, Todd Pederson and Frank Reich, Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan.

Riley would fit in beautifully with that group. He could ignite a bidding war with several suitors driving up the price for the coaching unicorn. The bidding starts at $7 million. You better believe NFL teams would pony up.

In an era when teams are looking for the “next Sean McVay” as shown by the hires of Matt Nagy, Matt LaFleur and Zac Tyler, who were young, imaginative offensive coaches with zero head coaching experience, why not just hire Riley?

And the NFL has already taken notice. Coaches are flocking to Norman to pick his brain and see if they can steal anything and add it to their playbook.

“What makes Lincoln so unique is you’re talking about a guy who has figured out the college game and NFL coaches are coming to visit him,” Kirk Herbstreit tells me. “I talked to him a few months ago and he said he used to have four or five NFL guys coming in, now he’s got over 30 guys coming in to figure out what they’re doing. So you have not only one of the best offensive coaches in college, but in football, period.”

The Washington Redskins just fired Jay Gruden and if Bruce Allen doesn’t kick the tires on Riley, it’s another disservice to the fans who have been through an endless cycle of inept coaches for decades.

The New York Jets just hired Adam Gase this offseason but try recruiting Riley to the Jets and the lure of coaching up Sam Darnold.

The Atlanta Falcons may fire Dan Quinn at any given moment. Imagine Riley rediscovering Matt Ryan‘s MVP form and making use of one of the best wide receiver trios in the league. Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley and Mohamed Sanu would feast.

How about the Miami Dolphins who could have the No. 1 pick and the right to take Tua Tagovailoa, or, don’t rule it out, Hurts. Who had Murray or Mayfield as the top pick in October when they were putting up 300-400 yards and four touchdowns torching defenses the last two years? Miami hasn’t had much to be really excited about since Dan Marino retired, but Riley and the No. 1 pick would excite a fan base starved for a winner and a chance to compete for the playoffs again.

How about a reunion with Mayfield in Cleveland? Freddie Kitchens looks in over his head to start the year and Mayfield has regressed. The Browns have a great young roster that’s ready to win now but they gave the keys to the team to a guy who had no business driving. Riley would like Ansel Engort in Baby Driver. Give him the keys and let him work.

The sexiest proposition of them all is the Dallas Cowboys. It feels like Jason Garrett has been on the hot seat since the moment his introductory press conference ended. He’s still standing nearly a decade later. But what if the Cowboys somehow miss the playoffs? Even if they do and they bow out before the NFC Championship Game, could Jerry Jones pull the plug and make a change?

Hiring a college coach remains one of the best decisions he’s done as the owner when he hired Jimmy Johnson from Miami. Then he replaced Johnson with Oklahoma’s Barry Switzer. Three Super Bowls later, going the college route worked out just fine for America’s Team.

Could the third time be the charm for the Cowboys with Riley being able to take Dak Prescott‘s game to the next level?

Don’t mistake Riley’s offensive brilliance for quarterbacks who throw it 50-plus times per game. This isn’t a Mike Leach team. Riley is a Leach disciple, but the secret to his success is more than just the quarterback play. The key is the offensive line and the run game that has gone forgotten due to the brilliant quarterback play.

“It’s not just the quarterback even though they’ve won the Heisman and been picked first in the draft the last couple of years,” ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit tells me. “It’s what he does with the offensive line and the running game and the spacing and their passing game. He simplifies the read for the quarterback. He makes the defense have to account for the running game and when you do that, it opens up so many throwing windows for your play-action pass.”

One of the strengths of the Cowboys is their offensive line and running game. The Cowboys invested heavily in Ezekiel Elliott and have three first round picks on the line. If you want to get the best return on your investment, and Jones is a smart businessman, you get Riley who coaches laps around Garrett when he’s taking his mid-afternoon nap.

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