Carolina Panthers request permission to interview Cowboys VP of player personnel Will McClay

The Carolina Panthers are on the hunt for new blood under team owner David Tepper. According to Albert Breer of SI.com, the Panthers have requested to interview Dallas Cowboys vice president of player personnel Will McClay. Carolina moved on from general manager Scott Fitterer this week and McClay’s track record with Dallas has the team interested. The Washington Commanders have also requested permission to interview him this week.

The Cowboys’ front office exec has been with the team since 2009 and moved up in ranks from director of player personnel to senior director of pro/college scouting, and finally VP of player personnel. He took over the VP role in 2017 and has overseen the team’s draft processes ever since.

Other teams have tried to poach McClay over the years. The Cowboys renegotiated his deal with them in 2022 to sweeten the pot, and it worked. Head coach Mike McCarthy was very appreciative of the move at the time.

“I really enjoy working with Will. I can’t say enough about him,” McCarthy said last season. “He’s very astute at his approach and how the inner workings of the personnel department and the collaboration between Will, Stephen (Jones) and Jerry (Jones). We spent a tremendous amount of time together. And I enjoy working with him. He’s obviously someone that I know as an organization we would not want to lose. But he’s definitely worthy of any opportunity that pursues him.”

Prior to the NFL, McClay was the head coach of the Dallas Desperados of the Arena Football League and served in various assistant capacities for a number of other AFL teams. McClay, now 57, is a native of Memphis, Tenn. and played college football at Rice.

Other GM candidates the Panthers are considering are Giants assistant G.M. Brandon Brown, Buccaneers assistant G.M. Mike Greenberg, Chiefs vice president of football operations Brandt Tilis, Eagles assistant G.M. Alec Halaby, Saints assistant G.M. Khai Harley, Ravens vice president of football administration Nick Matteo, Colts assistant G.M. Ed Dodds and Raiders interim G.M. Champ Kelly.

Three teams request permission to interview Dan Quinn

The Cowboys are once again receiving a slew of permission to interview requests for defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. After winning the AP’s Assistant Coach of the Year award in 2021 and coaching the Cowboys defense into the top unit for takeaways last season, Quinn is a hot name for teams to consider. The Carolina Panthers, Los Angeles Chargers and Washington Commanders have all reportedly requested permission to interview the former Atlanta Falcons head coach.

Each year it has seemed like Quinn would leave the Cowboys to once again dive into a head coaching job, but either due to lack of significant interest or Jerry Jones’ deal-making, he’s chosen to continue building under Mike McCarthy.

Asked about his interest in the head coach market last year, Quinn said that only an opportunity that “lights him up” will get him to walk away from Dallas.

“I’m having a blast here,” Quinn said, via Jon Machota. “If down the line there’s an opportunity that lights me up, we’ll discuss it then.”

The 53-year-old reportedly received a “substantial raise” the first time he chose to stick with the Cowboys. Jerry Jones may have to up the ante once again to keep him after the playoffs.