Cowboys Close To Making Ryan Defensive Coordinator

IRVING (Sports Network) - The Dallas Cowboys are on the verge of bringing in Rob Ryan to be the club's defensive coordinator.

The Cowboys' website late Friday quoted a source which said an offer has already been made and both Ryan and the Cowboys were working on a contract.

According to the site, Ryan spent a lengthy period at the team's practice facility, meeting for the majority of that time with head coach Jason Garrett before talking to owner Jerry Jones.

Ryan, the 48-year-old twin brother of New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan, has been the defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns the last two seasons. Prior to that, he served in the same capacity for the Oakland Browns from 2004-08.

The position has been vacant since Paul Pasqualoni left the Cowboys to become the new head coach at UConn on Thursday. He'd been elevated to defensive coordinator in November when Wade Phillips -- who filled both roles as head coach and chief of the defense -- was fired.