After talking with several well-respected members of the Cowboys' media corps, here is my abridged scouting report on R-squared:
-- His biggest critics inside the Dallas organization say he had "unsound philosophies'' and failed to put players in positions to succeed, such as playing zone coverage with press corners Mo Claiborne and Brandon Carr.
-- Last season, Ryan's second and last in Big D, the Cowboys allowed the most yards in franchise history (5,687). In his defense, injuries to a handful of starters and key subs plagued their defensive unit for much of the season.
-- The Cowboys had 16 takeaways in 2012, 29th fewest in the NFL.
-- Off the field, Ryan apparently loves the media spotlight, which won't necessarily play well in New Orleans with Payton (see Gregg Williams). The Dallas media viewed Ryan as a go-to quote during the week of the game and after games.