According to published reports, three more candidates are emerging on the Buffalo Bills interview list, and none of them have previous head coaching experience.  Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Sean McDermott, Arizona assistant head coach Russ Grimm and Minnesota defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier are all slated to get interviews from Buddy Nix, according to various reports.

McDermott is in his first year as Eagles defensive coordinator but has been with the team in a coaching capacity since 1998.  He was mentored under the late Jim Johnson and employs an aggressive style of defense. He’s just 35-years old, but I’m told he’s going to become a hot coaching prospect.

Grimm was a finalist for the Pittsburgh Steelers job when Bill Cowher retired in 2007, but lost out to Mike Tomlin.  He then went with fellow finalist Ken Wisenhunt to Arizona after Wisenhunt became the head coach there.  He is the assistant head coach/offensive line coach and has helped oversee a powerful Cardinals offense.  I’m hearing if the Bills decide to go the first-time head coaching route Grimm could emerge as the leading candidate.

Frazier has spent the past three years as the Vikings defensive coordinator.  Under his tutelage the Minnesota defense has finished sixth in the league in yards allowed per game the past two seasons.

If the Bills are indeed to conduct interviews with any of these three, only Frazier  is a lock to interview this week. Under NFL rules a coach can’t be interviewed without permission while their team is still in the playoffs unless that team is on a bye.  Philadelphia and Arizona both have a game this week, while Minnesota is the second seed in the NFC and doesn’t play this week.

Frazier was also the defensive coordinator in Cincinnati in 2003-04 and secondary coach for Indianapolis in 2005-06.

While any candidate should be taken seriously, it’s likely Nix is covering all his tracks in case he can’t land a more experienced coach like he’s publicly stated he’d prefer.