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This week's Power Rankings took a gander at the NFL's best up-and-coming assistant coaches.

To define the list, ESPN.com's panel of division bloggers decided we would concentrate on assistants who have never been head coaches (we didn't count interim tags) and are approaching their shot to run a staff.

Here's my ballot:

1. Rob Ryan, Cowboys defensive coordinator
2. Russ Grimm, Cardinals offensive line coach
3. Dirk Koetter, Jaguars offensive coordinator
4. Bill O'Brien, Patriots offensive coordinator
5. Rob Chudzinski, Panthers offensive coordinator
6. Perry Fewell, Giants defensive coordinator
7. Brian Schottenheimer, Jets offensive coordinator
8. Winston Moss, Packers inside linebackers coach
9. Mike Waufle, Raiders defensive line coach
10. Pete Carmichael, Saints offensive coordinator

Ryan topped my ballot for two reasons. First, he's a great defensive coach. Second, his twin brother's success with the New York Jets is pushing Rob Ryan even closer and closer to consideration.

In sorting out my list, my dominant criterion was becoming a head coach soon. Grimm has interviewed for jobs, reportedly been close to landing a couple and is highly thought of around the league. If Las Vegas posted odds on the next assistant to become a first-time head coach, Ryan and Grimm would be at the top of the list.

I was one of only three panelists to vote for O'Brien at all. AFC South blogger Paul Kuharsky listed him fifth. NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert ranked him eighth.

A high ranking for O'Brien simply is playing the percentages. Bill Belichick coordinators always seem to get an opportunity to be a head coach, and O'Brien certainly is making his mark. A coordinator appointment from Belichick is the ultimate sideline blessing these days. Tom Brady's not a bad reference either.

O'Brien did more than just pick up where Josh McDaniels left off. O'Brien oversaw a restructuring of the Patriots' offense from a shotgun-spread style to a two tight-end approach. He also prevailed in a battle of wills with Randy Moss and then directed the Patriots' offense to great things without him.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Andre Reed deserves to be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

He just has to wait his turn.

For the fourth time, the legendary Buffalo Bills receiver was a semifinalist who didn't make the cut. Receiver Jerry Rice, running backs Emmitt Smith and Floyd Little, guard Russ Grimm, defensive tackle John Randle, linebacker Rickey Jackson and cornerback and esteemed coach Dick LeBeau were selected Saturday for the class of 2010.

Nobody expected Reed to be honored with Rice and Smith on the ballot for the first time. That left two fewer spots available for the others.

But there were some interesting developments in this year's selection process that bode well for Reed's candidacy in 2011.

There had been a belief among Hall of Fame voters Cris Carter must be inducted before Reed could make it. But for the first time, Reed finished ahead of Carter in the process.

When the list of 15 semifinalists was pared down to 10, Carter and Tim Brown (in his first year of eligibility) didn't advance. Reed did after failing to make the final 10 last year.

And as Reed's career numbers continue to slide down the all-time list each season -- a tight end passed him this year, and Randy Moss, Torry Holt and Hines Ward probably will knock him out of the top 10 next year -- there was concern Reed's credentials would dim.

Maybe that won't be the case.

Reed caught 951 passes for 13,198 yards and 87 touchdowns. He went to four straight Super Bowls. Had the Bills won one of them, the chances for his induction would be moot. He'd probably already be in.

"It's not just about how many you caught, but when you caught them," Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin said on the NFL Network's induction show. "To go to four Super Bowls, that means all of your catches meant something. So hopefully he will be here one day."

I've received quite a few e-mails and text messages from South Floridians incredulous at the report the Buffalo Bills had Cam Cameron on their head-coaching short list.

And they're disappointed it didn't come to fruition.

John Murphy, sports director of Buffalo's CBS affiliate and the Bills' play-by-play voice, reported the Bills had two sets of candidates: realistic and idealistic.

The viable candidates Murphy listed were free agent Chan Gailey, Arizona Cardinals assistant head coach Russ Grimm, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, San Diego Chargers defensive coordinator Ron Rivera and Cameron, who is currently the Baltimore Ravens' offensive coordinator.

There was no mention of New York Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, who confirmed last week the Bills requested an interview that he turned down.

Among the long-shot candidates Murphy named were free agents Bill Cowher, Jon Gruden, Mike Shanahan and Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh.

While I'm not as down on Cameron as some folks are, you have to wonder why the Bills would be so interested. Cameron is two seasons removed from his only season as a head coach, when he went 1-15 with the Miami Dolphins and was fired.

It was a disastrous season in which the Dolphins botched the ninth overall draft pick (that's the selection the Bills have this year) by selecting Ted Ginn.

Cameron mismanaged a dicey quarterback situation, and if Bills need anything right now it's somebody who can get a handle on that position. After signing veteran free agent Trent Green to hold down the job and drafting John Beck in the second round as the quarterback of the future, the Dolphins fell apart and came away with journeyman Cleo Lemon as their best option that year. Beck lasted two seasons before the Dolphins cut him.

Cameron also insisted on keeping the offensive coordinator's job, but when the season unraveled he surreptitiously handed off to tight ends coach Mike Mularkey, a name that now has Bills fans laughing just as hard as Dolfans are at memories of Cameron.

CBS Sports analyst Charley Casserly on Saturday reported the Buffalo Bills offered their head-coaching position to Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh, but he turned them down.

The scoop was another big blow to a wounded organization's reputation.

Who wants this job?

The Bills have had two months to replace Dick Jauron. Two other clubs have fired coaches and replaced them within a week. It will be interesting to see if the Oakland Raiders fire Tom Cable and hire someone before the Bills announce Jauron's replacement.

Several have spurned the Bills' overtures. Below is a rejection rundown with a "snub scale" for how much Bills fans should be bothered by each rebuff. I'm not going to bother analyzing Bill Cowher, Jon Gruden or Mike Holmgren, all of whom have been approached in some manner by the Bills and turned down.

Confirmed interviews

Free-agent coach Mike Shanahan: Accepted head-coaching post with the Washington Redskins. Snub scale (out of 10): 1. The Redskins are a high-profile franchise that spends a lot of money. A no-brainer for Shanahan.

Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier: Still alive in the playoffs, and we don't know how interested he is in the Bills. What if Frazier turns them down, too? Snub scale: Incomplete.

Bills interim coach Perry Fewell: Would rather take a defensive coordinator job with the New York Giants than wait for the possibility of a head coaching job. Snub scale: 3. If your dream is to be an NFL head coach, then you'd normally wait before accepting a lesser job, but Fewell saw the writing on the wall.

Reported offer

Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh: Would rather remain in the Pac-10 than be Bills head coach. Snub scale: 10. For wanting to remain with a second-tier college program rather than be head coach for Buffalo.

Declined interviews

New York Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer: Would rather remain a coordinator than run the Bills. Snub scale: 8. For preferring to have success as a supporting cast member than be a head coach, which he harbors dreams of doing.

San Diego Chargers defensive coordinator Ron Rivera: Reportedly told the Bills and Seattle Seahawks he wasn't interested in interviewing for their jobs. We still haven't heard from Rivera on this like we've heard from Schottenheimer. Snub scale: If true, an Incomplete because he hasn't gone on record to say he definitely wouldn't interview when the Chargers are eliminated.

Former Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis: Would rather be the offensive coordinator of the Kansas City Chiefs. John Murphy, sports director of Buffalo CBS affiliate WIVB and the Bills' play-by-play radio voice, reported the Bills' interest in Weis. Snub scale: 9. For signing up to be an underling on a four-win club, but at least he's joining old friends he's comfortable with.

Might decline an interview

Arizona Cardinals assistant head coach Russ Grimm: Buffalo News reporter Allen Wilson reported Grimm likely will turn down the Bills' request to interview. Snub scale: If Grimm follows through, a 10 for shunning one of the NFL's precious 32 roles he covets.

The Buffalo Bills have had two months to interview candidates and hire a new head coach.

In that span -- unless they held some more stealth meetings -- the Bills have formally interviewed one candidate who's still available.

Getting antsy, Bills fans?

The New York Giants announced Thursday that Perry Fewell will be their defensive coordinator. Fewell was the Bills' interim head coach and interviewed for their permanent job last week.

Fewell wasn't going to return to the Bills anyway, but the fact he and other members of their fired staff are finding work within two weeks (special teams coordinator Bobby April joined the Philadelphia Eagles, and offensive line coach Sean Kugler joined the Pittsburgh Steelers) while the Bills are spinning their wheels doesn't look good.

Since the regular season ended, two NFL clubs have fired their head coaches and hired replacements.

With Fewell off the market, that leaves Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier the lone applicant to have interviewed that we know about. The Bills met with Frazier on Thursday.

Since then, we've learned New York Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer and San Diego Chargers defensive coordinator Ron Rivera have rejected overtures from the Bills.

Arizona Cardinals assistant head coach Russ Grimm reportedly has agreed to a Bills interview request, but he isn't expected to sit down with them until after the playoffs.

The Bills interviewed Mike Shanahan in November. He accepted the Washington Redskins' gig. ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported the Bills held a "stealth meeting" with Bill Cowher two weeks ago. The Bills reportedly approached former Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis, who took a job as Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator.

Maybe this process is going exactly the way the Bills envisioned, but somehow I doubt it.

Do the Buffalo Bills have the worst head-coaching job in the entire NFL?

It's difficult to argue otherwise when they keep getting turned down for interviews.

Most of the A-list candidates gave Buffalo the Heisman stiff arm a long time ago. Now, top assistants who've never been head coaches before are saying "No, thanks."

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports New York Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, after receiving permission from his employer to interview, will not speak with the Bills this week or in the event the Jets are knocked out of the playoffs.

Scottenheimer told me over the weekend how happy he was with the Jets, saying he still wanted to be a head coach ""at some point down the line, but I won't be disappointed if I'm here the next five or six years."

The San Diego Union-Tribune on Monday reported Chargers defensive coordinator Ron Rivera turned down opportunities to interview with the Bills and Seattle Seahawks last week.

Since general manager Buddy Nix was hired, the Bills have interviewed interim coach Perry Fewell and Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier.

But one top assistant has agreed to an interview. Arizona Cardinals assistant head coach Russ Grimm told the Associated Press he would talk to the Bills, but probably not until the Cardinals' postseason is over.

There have been a few dispatches about the Buffalo Bills coaching search since I left Cincinnati this afternoon.

Here are the highlights:

Dave Hutchinson of the Newark Star-Ledger reports the Bills have been granted permission to interview New York Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer this week. Hutchinson, citing an unnamed source, writes the interview must be conducted at the Jets' leisure and not interfere with preparations for Sunday's playoff game against the San Diego Chargers.

I wrote a blog earlier about Schottenheimer's thoughts on becoming a head coach.

After Saturday's victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, I asked Jets coach Rex Ryan about Schottenheimer's performance. Ryan responded by suggesting Schottenheimer was destined to be a head coach in a few weeks.

"I really don't want to be honest what I think of Schotty because I want him here," Ryan said. "Realistically, what a job, an amazing job, kept them off balance. We were getting a million [defenders in the box]. He did a good job of mixing in the run and the pass. He called the game like a head coach. Yeah, we could've probably made more passes, more plays down the field. But we wanted to move the clock.

"He's just doing a tremendous job. I realize we're probably only going to have him for as long as we're in this tournament, but we're enjoying it right now."

Fox Sports senior writer Jay Glazer adds the Bills have reached out to the Arizona Cardinals about talking to assistant head coach Russ Grimm.

San Diego Union-Tribune reporter Kevin Acee, citing multiple sources, writes about Chargers defensive coordinator Ron Rivera turning down the Bills' and Seattle Seahawks' requests to interview during the bye week.

As NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert reminds us, Bills interim coach Perry Fewell interviewed Monday for the defensive coordinator opening with the Chicago Bears. Seifert thinks Fewell is the frontrunner for the Bears job. Fewell appears to be a long shot to return to Buffalo.

Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported the Steelers interviewed special teams coordinator Bobby April, who triggered an out clause in his Bills coaching contract last week.

CBS Sports analyst Charley Casserly, a former general manager who could return to an NFL front office for 2010, shared his insight about the Buffalo Bills' coaching search on "The NFL Today."

"What the Bills coaches were told is this: Perry Fewell will be given serious consideration for the job. In fact, they were told he has a leg up right now because he's coaching the team. They were also told they were going to look at coaches who are available right now for interviews. One was Mike Shanahan. They interviewed him this past week on Tuesday.

"Also two other names I would look at: One is Jim Haslett, former NFL head coach also presently head coach of the Florida Tuskers, undefeated in the UFL; and head coach Marc Trestman of the Montreal Alouettes, with the top records in the CFL. I think both will get consideration. At the end of the year, one guy I would really look at hard here for them to see is Russ Grimm, the assistant head coach of the Arizona Cardinals.

"My personal opinion, I don't see Mike Shanahan ending up coaching the Buffalo Bills next year. I think what he'll look for is a team that is more playoff-ready, a team closer to being in the playoffs than the Buffalo Bills are right now."

ESPN's John Clayton gives updates on the New York Jets' hunt for a new head coach and says it might be offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham

There have been a few developments in the New York Jets' coaching search.

So I thought it was a good time to give an update as to where the process stands after one week based strictly on information I'm highly confident is factual. In other words, I'm not going to guess what's going on in Mike Shanahan's head.

• The Jets have received permission from the Indianapolis Colts to interview defensive coordinator Ron Meeks. The interview will take place Friday at the Jets' facility in Florham Park, N.J.
• Meeks is black and would satisify the NFL's "Rooney Rule" that requires teams to interview at least one minority candidate.
  
• The Jets will interview Arizona Cardinals offensive line coach Russ Grimm on Thursday in the desert. Owner Woody Johnson will be present for his first interview after being out of the country through the first three.
• The first two interviews were Friday with Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer and offensive line coach Bill Callahan, but Johnson wasn't present. Johnson met with Schottenheimer on Tuesday and will meet with Callahan on Wednesday.
• Johnson has not met with New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, who interviewed Saturday.
• The Jets have received permission to interview Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan but haven't scheduled an interview yet.
• Newsday's Erik Boland reports Boston College coach Jeff Jagodzinski interviewed Tuesday. The Jets have declined comment.
• Bill Cowher still is not interested in coaching in 2009.
• Francisco Franco is dead.