Rex Ryan to become next Buffalo Bills head coach

Rex Ryan has agreed to a five-year deal to become the next head coach of the Buffalo Bills.

According to multiple reports, the deal was agreed to in principle on Sunday and finalized later in the day.

CBSSports.com reported Ryan had begun assembling a coaching staff and that San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman will be his first hire. Roman and Ryan worked together with the Baltimore Ravens.

Ryan, 52, will earn a salary of $5.5 million per year, according to ESPN, and complete an extensive coaching search for the Bills, who have interviewed 12 candidates since Doug Marrone opted out of his contract on Dec. 31.

Ryan first interviewed with Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula on Thursday, and was brought back for a second interview Saturday at the Pegulas’ Boca Raton, Fla., home, according to the Buffalo News.

Ryan also interviewed for the Atlanta Falcons’ head-coaching vacancy but reportedly had concerns over the amount of input the front office would have in decisions.

The Bills would like to keep Jim Schwartz as defensive coordinator. The defense ranked fourth in the NFL and had a league-leading 54 sacks in 2014.

The Bills went 9-7 this past season and finished with a winning record for the first time since 2004. They haven’t made the postseason in 15 years, the longest active drought in the NFL.

Ryan had a 46-50 record in six seasons as the Jets’ coach. In his first two seasons with the team, 2009 and 2010, the Jets advanced to the AFC Championship Game each season. Over the past four seasons, New York finished 8-8 twice, 6-10 and 4-12.

Ryan and general manager John Idzik were fired on Dec. 29 after the Jets missed the playoffs for the fourth straight season.

Ryan is not expected to bring many — if any — of this former assistants with the Jets.