Phillips, who needs to fill coaching vacancies at secondary, linebacker and defensive line, talked to several coaches about those jobs the last two days.

But the Cowboys were denied permission to interview Atlanta secondary coach Emmitt Thomas, who was elevated to assistant head coach yesterday when Jacksonville defensive coordinator Mike Smith was named head coach of the Falcons.

"I worked with him before, and it was a natural deal," Phillips said of Thomas, who was born in Angleton, Texas, and has 28 years of coaching experience.

It's the second time in the last two months that Atlanta and Dallas have discussed personnel matters.

Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones, a prominent Arkansas booster, spoke on behalf of the school to Atlanta owner Arthur Blank to gauge the interest of then-Falcons coach Bobby Petrino on a possible return to college.

Petrino left Atlanta for the Arkansas head-coaching job in December with three games remaining in the regular season. When Petrino left, Thomas was named the interim head coach.

With Thomas out of the picture for the secondary coaching position, Phillips may look to Baltimore secondary coach Dennis Thurman, who played for the Cowboys from 1978-1985.

Baltimore general manager and executive vice president Ozzie Newsome said the Cowboys haven't contacted him seeking permission to speak with Thurman.

However, Thurman might elect to stay in Baltimore with defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, if Ryan's retained by new Ravens coach John Harbaugh.

The Cowboys had spoken with former Ole Miss coach Ed Orgeron on Tuesday afternoon, but he decided yesterday to become the defensive line coach with New Orleans.