Reports: Rex Ryan Buffalo's Newest Head Coach -PPI

It certainly wasn’t a short process, but in the end the Buffalo Bills feel like they found their man.

Multiple reports are coming out this morning that the Bills are putting the finishing touches on a deal that will make Rex Ryan, formally of the divisional rival New York Jets, the team’s newest head coach.

The hire wraps-up an extensive search by the Pegulas and GM Doug Whaley that saw the team interview 12 different candidates since Doug Marrone opted out of his contract on December 31st.

Ryan, who was with his second interview with the Bills last evening, is expected to bring San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman with him to Buffalo to serve in that same role (according to ESPN).

Another big question with the team was whether or not defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz would be able to stick around after the great season the defense just had. The team has already declined opportunities for Schwartz to interview with teams about head coaching vacancies, and it is in their full plan to make sure Schwartz doesn’t go anywhere.

While nothing is official yet, Ryan and Schwartz will have to sit down to have a conversation. It would be very hard to believe Schwartz will be going anywhere, as Bills management had to have made it clear to whoever they hired that Schwartz was going to be a part of the staff still.

UPDATE, 1/13: It turns out that Ryan and Schwartz couldn’t work with each other after all. The big differences in defensive philosophy lead to the Bills and Schwartz parting ways. Ryan had the following statement on the split:

#Bills HC Rex Ryan released the following statement regarding the termination of Jim Schwartz’s contract: pic.twitter.com/B4stru6DJ0

— Buffalo Bills PR (@BuffaloBillsPR) January 13, 2015

Ryan, 52, spent his last six seasons with the Jets, compiling a record of 46-50 over that span. He also lead the team to two consecutive AFC Championship Games with Mark Sanchez at quarterback.

Ryan will become the first head coach to change teams within the same division since Bill Parcells jumped from the Jets to the New England Patriots in 1997.

Buffalo is coming off their best season in over a decade. For the winning to continue they needed to bring in a coach who truly gets it.

Getting a great defensive coach, who is a great motivator, and has had some success against Tom Brady and the Patriots in his career are all pluses in Ryan’s case to finally help the Bills end their 15-year playoff drought.