Redskins promote O'Connell to OC; Tomsula staying

The Washington Redskins promoted passing game coordinator Kevin O'Connell to offensive coordinator, while changing incumbent Matt Cavanaugh's title to senior offensive assistant. O'Connell, 33, joined Washington as quarterbacks coach in 2017 and added the passing game coordinator title in 2018. He had spent two previous seasons as an NFL coach before arriving in D.C., after a five-year career as a journeyman quarterback in which he played just two games.

Cavanaugh, 62, was the Redskins' QBs coach from 2015-16 before being promoted to offensive coordinator in 2017 to replace the departed Sean McVay. He has 10 years of coordinator experience with three teams dating back to 1997, and 21 years on NFL coaching staffs since 1994. He also spent four season as the offensive coordinator at his alma mater, Pitt, from 2005-08.

In Washington, head coach Jay Gruden runs his own offense and has returned to calling plays since McVay was hired away by the Los Angeles Rams. It's unclear if the structure will change at all with O'Connell's promotion. The team also announced defensive line coach Jim Tomsula will return in 2019.

Tomsula, 50, joined Washington in 2017 after spending 2016 out of the league, following his firing as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, where he held the lead job for just one season. One of the NFL's most respected defensive line coaches, Tomsula held the same position for eight years in San Francisco (2007-14) before his promotion to head coach.

--Field Level Media