Rex Ryan says he ‘would’ve fixed’ Cowboys defense, but Dallas ‘couldn’t pony up the money’ to hire him

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones made headlines by suggesting he “couldn’t afford Derrick Henry,” despite the star Baltimore Ravens running back previously expressing interest in playing for the team. Now, Rex Ryan is accusing Jones of being too cheap at another position, telling ESPN he would’ve become the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator — and instantly “fixed” that unit — if only Jones had paid up.

“I could’ve fixed [the Cowboys defense] in a New York minute,” Ryan told the “DiPietro & Rothenberg” show, per USA Today. “But, that being said, they couldn’t pony up the money, or I would’ve been there.”

The 61-year-old Ryan hasn’t held an NFL job since 2016, when he served as Buffalo Bills coach. He was interviewed for the Cowboys’ coordinator opening this offseason, however, before Dallas hired former Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmer. Ryan notably disputed ESPN’s initial reporting of Zimmer’s hiring, indicating at the time that he was still a candidate for the job, and claiming he personally called Jones in an effort to campaign for the spot, arguing he could give Dallas a Super Bowl-caliber defense.

The Cowboys currently rank as a bottom-five defense under Zimmer’s direction, looking to avoid a 1-3 start against the rival New York Giants on Thursday night.

Ryan is perhaps best known for his six-year run as New York Jets coach from 2009-2014, which followed a successful stint as the Baltimore Ravens’ defensive coordinator. His brother, Rob, previously worked as the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator from 2011-2012.