We speculated this morning, when news broke that Dave Wannstedt was on the verge of joining the Buffalo Bills' coaching staff, that his decision likely meant that the Cleveland Browns - with whom Wannstedt interviewed on Thursday - had decided to go in a different direction at defensive coordinator.
Multiple media outlets are now reporting that Dick Jauron, who coached the Bills from 2006 through most of 2009, will soon agree to become Cleveland's defensive coordinator.
This news is relevant to the Bills in two ways: first, it means that team owner Ralph Wilson, who is still paying Jauron money owed on the three-year contract extension he signed in 2008 (and lasts through the 2012 season), will pay Jauron less than he might have had Jauron remained a defensive backs coach. Jauron will make the salary that contract guarantees in 2011, with the Bills making up the difference beyond what the Browns pay him.
Perhaps more importantly, there is a very strong chance that Jauron attempts to pursue a member of Buffalo's defensive coaching staff as he and Pat Shurmur fill up their assistant coaching pool. Expect current Bills defensive backs coach George Catavolos to be a target of Jauron's; the two worked together in Detroit and Buffalo, and reportedly are very good friends. This is not a given, however - with Catavolos under contract, the Bills have the right to block any lateral move.