Defensive Coordinator Candidates

[Pkrjones]

Why not. He's the one coordinator that has Brady figured out.

Not hard to figure out... pressure Brady and his QB rating is around 30. The D stopped the run effectively, just didn't apply enough pressure on Brady at key moments. With the exception of a couple of truly brain-fart plays the D played well enough for GB to win the NFCCG, IMHO.

Also, Brady will be around for 1 more year... the new DC needs to be able to "figure out" ALL 31 teams.

 

[Favre>Rodgers259]

https://sports.yahoo.com/packers-newly-vacant-defensive-coordinator-230954018.html

Agreed, this has got to be the hottest coordinator position in the league. I bet MLF might have considered that when thinking about Pettine's contract, there's a lot to like about this defense. I wouldn't be surprised if some guys even went to Twitter or private channels expressing their interest in the job.

After @Dantés analysis of Richard, I'm totally off him. I was clinging to his Legion of Boom days but he's right, back in Dallas he was just kinda ho-hum....but to be fair, it's Dallas.

I'm really pushing for Mayo though, he'll be a HC probably by 40-41; just like MLF we really need to find somebody ascendant before they're too hot to handle. Plus his youth and NFL experience will really resonate with the locker room:

10th Overall Pick
DROY
Super Bowl Champ
2x Pro Bowler

The guys on D with some swagger like Jaire, Z, Gary, Savage, and Amos, I think they'll buy in quick, which should have the rest of the team follow suit. Not to mention he played against Brady in practice for years, you don't think he might have an ace up his sleeve that maybe only a former Patriot or AFC East Vet might know?



To be fair, I'm a "Mayo Homer", he and I played football together back in 03-04. Damn, I'm old now.

 

[Snoops]

If Gregg Williams gets a interview
everyone on Green Bay’s staff needs to go just saying if they even for a second I do not wanna hear his name

 

[Dantés]

A college name I saw someone throw out: Cincinnati HC Luke Fickell

He was the Co-DC and LB's coach for Ohio State from 2005 to 2016.

He took over as the HC at Cincinnati in 2017, and has built them into a really great defense too.

 

[red4tribe]

I'd like to hire someone with a proven track record. We have talent on defense and need someone who will maximize Rodgers' remaining years, so I'd be hesitant to take a gamble on someone without DC experience. Romeo Crennel, Marvin Lewis, and Wade Phillips all come to mind. Each has generally fielded solid defenses as a DC.

 

[Dantés]

I'd like to hire someone with a proven track record. We have talent on defense and need someone who will maximize Rodgers' remaining years, so I'd be hesitant to take a gamble on someone without DC experience. Romeo Crennel, Marvin Lewis, and Wade Phillips all come to mind. Each has generally fielded solid defenses as a DC.

Jerry Gray fits your description as well.

 

[Dantés]

Here's a name I really like that I've been overlooking: Mike Caldwell, LB Coach, Tampa Bay

Caldwell entered coaching in 2008 with the Eagles, working under Jim Johnson as part of Andy Reid's staff.

While in Philly, he also worked under Sean McDermott (which I really like).

His last year there, Todd Bowles was the Co-DC (that was that strange phase when Reid made Juan Castillo his DC). So when Bowles left to go to Arizona to be Arians' DC, Caldwell went with him. He was the LB Coach for those really great Arizona teams, then he followed Bowles to New York and was the AHC and LB Coach over that stint, and now he's been the LB Coach for Bowles in Tampa.

So outside of that run in New York, he's always been a part of great defenses, and he's worked under a number of really good defensive minds. My only hesitation is that I haven't really seen Bowles and Caldwell create a good defense out of sub-par pieces. In Arizona and Tampa, they've had a lot to work with on the defensive roster.

 

[GreenNGold_81]

Here's a name I really like that I've been overlooking: Mike Caldwell, LB Coach, Tampa Bay

Caldwell entered coaching in 2008 with the Eagles, working under Jim Johnson as part of Andy Reid's staff.

While in Philly, he also worked under Sean McDermott (which I really like).

His last year there, Todd Bowles was the Co-DC (that was that strange phase when Reid made Juan Castillo his DC). So when Bowles left to go to Arizona to be Arians' DC, Caldwell went with him. He was the LB Coach for those really great Arizona teams, then he followed Bowles to New York and was the AHC and LB Coach over that stint, and now he's been the LB Coach for Bowles in Tampa.

So outside of that run in New York, he's always been a part of great defenses, and he's worked under a number of really good defensive minds. My only hesitation is that I haven't really seen Bowles and Caldwell create a good defense out of sub-par pieces. In Arizona and Tampa, they've had a lot to work with on the defensive roster.

To be fair, I think you need beyond sub-par pieces to have a great defense. You can put makeup on a pig, but it's still a pig.

 

[Favre>Rodgers259]

Phillips would likely keep the base of the defense intact with the three-man front, but feature more man coverage. That works well for Alexander, but leads to even more pressing questions about the future of players like Kevin King and Josh Jackson. There is at least some level of continuity there, but would feature more man coverage, which LaFleur asked for all season.

Leonhard comes from Pettine’s “tree” if you will, and would offer an easier transition to his vision of the defense. He showed a propensity to squeeze out the most from marginal talent at Wisconsin thanks to running a disciplined team that plays fast and decisively. In a lot of ways, he’s the ideal LaFleur candidate for those reasons. He’s an up-and-coming coach with fresh ideas, but his scheme overlap would reduce the learning curve for a team in 2021 ready to compete.

If LaFleur went with a coach like Kris Richard or someone off the Saleh tree, it would speak to a more meaningful change philosophically, particularly with a transition to a four-man front. The front office would have to shake off their disinterest in the linebacker position. And we would expect plenty of single-high safety looks with Cover-3 the base look.

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[Dantés]

To be fair, I think you need beyond sub-par pieces to have a great defense. You can put makeup on a pig, but it's still a pig.

Yeah for sure. But the coaches who really distinguish themselves create a unit that's more than the sum of its parts.

 

[Curly Calhoun]

FWIW: 15 options, via Packerswire:



15 defensive coordinator candidates for Packers (usatoday.com)

 

[Favre>Rodgers259]

Kocurek stuck out to me from that list. I could see who ever follows in Saleh's footsteps could be very desirable....still all in on Mayo though with Gray as my #2. Lewis is a distant #3 in a crowded room of other guys.

I hope they avoid Bettcher, he is just so-so to me and would be a Pettine like hire in terms of prestige and promise. However, I don't think he'd make the same play call screw ups that Pettine has over the years.


Also, nobody's mentioned him and I know he wouldn't be what anybody would consider a "Packers Guy"....but just hear me out, or attack me with insults.....Rex Ryan?




Maybe I'm seeing something that's not there but maybe MLF has been in contact with Wade Phillips and he's not interested/hinting at retirement? He'll be 74 before next season so we'd probably be looking for another DC in 3 years or less.

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[Snoops]

Kocurek stuck out to me from that list. I could see who ever follows in Saleh's footsteps could be very desirable....still all in on Mayo though with Gray as my #2. Lewis is a distant #3 in a crowded room of other guys.

I hope they avoid Bettcher, he is just so-so to me and would be a Pettine like hire in terms of prestige and promise. However, I don't think he'd make the same play call screw ups that Pettine has over the years.


Also, nobody's mentioned him and I know he wouldn't be what anybody would consider a "Packers Guy"....but just hear me out, or attack me with insults.....Rex Ryan?




Maybe I'm seeing something that's not there but maybe MLF has been in contact with Wade Phillips and he's not interested/hinting at retirement? He'll be 74 before next season so we'd probably be looking for another DC in 3 years or less.

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**** Rexy!! Bring him in!!

 

[longtimefan]

**** Rexy!! Bring him in!!

Rex loved Petrine and said he was a great?? Coach... he was on bill michaels or the big show on wssp 1250..was a while ago.. maybe thanksgiving??

rex also talked up jim leonard

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Romeo Crennel, Marvin Lewis, and Wade Phillips all come to mind. Each has generally fielded solid defenses as a DC.

None of them has had more success over their last few seasons as defensive coordinator than Pettine had in Green Bay.

Also, nobody's mentioned him and I know he wouldn't be what anybody would consider a "Packers Guy"....but just hear me out, or attack me with insults.....Rex Ryan?

No, thanks.

 

[Snoops]

Rex loved Petrine and said he was a great?? Coach... he was on bill michaels or the big show on wssp 1250..was a while ago.. maybe thanksgiving??

rex also talked up jim leonard

Pettine was part of Rex’s staff on the jets and I think they friends that why they talked him up.

I want a young coach myself Hewitt,
Richard,pleasant one of those guys I’m not sold on leonhard. Experience being the issue

(correction pleasant signed with Detroit as pass coordinator)

 

[easyk83]

I'd like to hire someone with a proven track record. We have talent on defense and need someone who will maximize Rodgers' remaining years, so I'd be hesitant to take a gamble on someone without DC experience. Romeo Crennel, Marvin Lewis, and Wade Phillips all come to mind. Each has generally fielded solid defenses as a DC.

Except that they're all available for a reason.

 

[easyk83]

None of them has had more success over their last few seasons as defensive coordinator than Pettine had in Green Bay.

No, thanks.

I kind of wonder, at what point do these guys have enough in the bank and enough retirement assets that they're persisting more because they dont know what else to do, and are at best half engaged.

 

[Favre>Rodgers259]

In that case, I guess Wade Phillips hit his numbers for his 401k. Plus he wrote a book recently.

 

[Dantés]

After spending way too much time combing the league and looking into coaching backgrounds, these are the names that really appeal to me, in some semblance of order of preference.

1. Chris Hewitt, Pass Def. Coordinator, Ravens
2. Ejiro Evero, Safeties, Rams
3. Mike Caldwell, Linebackers, Buccaneers
4. Dave Borgonzi, Linebackers, Colts
5. Steve Russ, Linebackers, Washington

Most of the veteran DC's out there fail to excite me. If they go that route, I think they should just promote Jerry Gray. His resume is better than any of them outside of Wade Phillips, who is 15 years older than Gray and probably not offering much at this point. Marvin Lewis would probably do a good job too I suppose.

 

[Favre>Rodgers259]

I feel like it's going to be one of them, and I'm not really sure of any of those guys, especially with them not having any real DC experience. Murphy screwed the pooch when he essentially shoved Pettine down LeFleur's throat.

Guys we missed out on(In no particular order):

Vance Joseph
Vic Fangio
Marvin Lewis
John Fox
Jack Del Rio
Aaron Glenn
Chuck Pagano
Todd Bowles
Steve Spagnuolo

Now I'm not saying MLF would have hired any of them, but again he had a seriously much larger pool to choose from. Realistically only 2 or 3 of those guys are still available.

 

[Dantés]

I feel like it's going to be one of them, and I'm not really sure of any of those guys, especially with them not having any real DC experience. Murphy screwed the pooch when he essentially shoved Pettine down LeFleur's throat.

Guys we missed out on(In no particular order):

Vance Joseph
Vic Fangio
Marvin Lewis
John Fox
Jack Del Rio
Aaron Glenn
Chuck Pagano
Todd Bowles
Steve Spagnuolo

Now I'm not saying MLF would have hired any of them, but again he had a seriously much larger pool to choose from. Realistically only 2 or 3 of those guys are still available.

Of those guys, only Fangio and Bowles are any better than Pettine. The others are basically just a bunch of typical veteran DC's, like Pettine.

And they didn't lose out on Fangio-- he's a head coach.

And they didn't lose out on Bowles-- he would be with Arians no matter what.

 

[Favre>Rodgers259]

I would have liked Aaron Glenn back then along with Vance Joseph and Jack Del Rio. Lewis and Fox are still available but Pagano recently retired.

 

[GleefulGary]

After spending way too much time combing the league and looking into coaching backgrounds, these are the names that really appeal to me, in some semblance of order of preference.

1. Chris Hewitt, Pass Def. Coordinator, Ravens
2. Ejiro Evero, Safeties, Rams
3. Mike Caldwell, Linebackers, Buccaneers
4. Dave Borgonzi, Linebackers, Colts
5. Steve Russ, Linebackers, Washington

Most of the veteran DC's out there fail to excite me. If they go that route, I think they should just promote Jerry Gray. His resume is better than any of them outside of Wade Phillips, who is 15 years older than Gray and probably not offering much at this point. Marvin Lewis would probably do a good job too I suppose.

Could you watch all of their interviews and give me an analysis of their personalities?

I don’t want a nice guy. I want an alpha dog who chews his players to shreds.

 

[Dantés]

I would have liked Aaron Glenn back then along with Vance Joseph and Jack Del Rio. Lewis and Fox are still available but Pagano recently retired.

It's regrettable that guys like Aaron Glenn and Aubrey Pleasant were off the market by the time the Packers' season was over and they were ready to make a change.

I've never been able to figure out what people see in Vance Joseph. In five years as a DC or HC, he's never had a good defense.