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The Ravens will begin their search for a new head coach over the next few days by interviewing four assistants from playoff teams. The team has asked for permission to speak with Tony Sparano and Jason Garett of Dallas, Jim Caldwell from Indianapolis and Josh McDaniels of the Patriots. It's notable that all four of the interviews will be with candidates from the offensive side of the ball. What does that mean for Rex Ryan's candidacy?

It might just be a matter of timing. The Ravens only have until Sunday to interview those four guys before NFL rules makes them off limits. It could also mean that the braintrust has determined the need for an innovative offensive mind outweighs the preference of some players for Ryan. The defensive coordinator is meeting with the team on Sunday but the longer the team waits to name a head coach, the less likely it seems that Ryan would be the choice.

Adam Schefter of the NFL Network is reporting that the team has a list of 30 candidates in mind for the top job. It's Steve Bisciotti's first hire and, judging by the breadth of the search, he's not settling for the known commodity that is Ryan. Even if they did decide Ryan was their guy, he might not be there when they do. Miami has already contacted him about their job and Atlanta is expected to do the same so he could wind up a head coach even without winning the Ravens' heart.