Jason Garrett and much of his coaching staff with the Dallas Cowboys are free agents, but the head coach said Tuesday there is nowhere else he’d rather be.

“Absolutely I want to be here,” Garrett said. “I think we’ve built something here that we’re really proud of. We’re all excited about taking the next step with this football team. We’re excited about the opportunities and challenges ahead.”

Garrett is 41-31 as Cowboys head coach and could draw interest elsewhere if negotiations are not favorable for his return to Dallas.

However, Garrett sounded confident he and his staff would stick together. He said the ideal scenario would be to get new contracts for his assistants “in the next couple of days.”

Reports surfaced Sunday after the Cowboys’ first 12-win season since 2007 ended amid mild controversy at Green Bay that defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli could leave for the same position with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and longtime friend Lovie Smith. There is also interest from other teams in offensive coordinator Bill Callahan and offensive assistant Scott Linehan, who drew high marks in his first season as Cowboys’ play-caller.

“We’re excited about what the future is with this football team,” he said. “I don’t want to get too much into it. The staff stuff, myself included, a lot of coaching staff members are not under contract. We’re trying to get that stuff resolved over the next few days.”

Garrett is not the only marquee name who could leave Dallas. Two of the team’s centerpieces on offense, All-Pros in wide receiver Dez Bryant and running back DeMarco Murray, are scheduled to become free agents in March.

“We’re proud of the team we’ve assembled,” Garrett said. “I think we’ve built it the right way.”

Garrett was asked if he was interested in talking with other teams, and he said he would focus solely on the “task at hand” as he tells his players.

“We’ll get to the business at hand, resolving staff situations,” Garrett said with a smile.