The seek for a brand new defensive coordinator instantly started after the Miami Dolphins moved on from Josh Boyer in that position Thursday.
Boyer, regardless of having the excuse of dropping a number of key defenders on account of harm, by no means fairly acquired the identical out of the Dolphins protection as he did the earlier two seasons when he might lean on ex-coach Brian Flores, who has a defensive background in his teaching profession.
Current coach Mike McDaniel has a background teaching offense, so Boyer was basically given the keys to the protection and got here up brief. His unit completed the 2022 common season thirtieth in takeaways, twenty seventh in go protection, twenty fourth in scoring protection and third-down protection and 18th in complete protection.
McDaniel, after retaining Boyer as a holdover from Flores’ employees, will now be charged with making his personal rent at defensive coordinator. He’ll possible look to discover a coach who can current schematic versatility, whereas Boyer was typically uncovered as ineffective when his blitz packages turned predictable.
The Dolphins might be required to interview no less than one minority candidate as a part of the 2020 growth of the Rooney Rule to coordinator positions.
Candidates who’re formally interviewing for the position will grow to be recognized within the coming days and weeks, however listed here are some early names to keep watch over:
Vic Fangio
This was the identify that appeared to be on the prime of the checklist when McDaniel was first employed in early February 2022, however Boyer was retained.
Fangio, who was head coach of the Denver Broncos from 2019 to 2021, as a substitute turned a defensive marketing consultant for the Philadelphia Eagles this season, together with his staff competing within the NFC divisional spherical of the playoffs.
Fangio has a prolonged resume as an NFL defensive coordinator: Chicago Bears from 2015 to 2018, San Francisco 49ers from 2011 to 2014 (a run that included deep playoff runs and even a Super Bowl look main some nice defenses), Houston Texans for his or her first 4 seasons in franchise historical past from 2002 to 2005, the Indianapolis Colts from 1999 to 2001 and the Carolina Panthers from their inaugural season in 1995 by means of 1998.
Before reaching the coordinator ranks, he was a longtime New Orleans Saints linebackers coach from 1986 by means of 1994. He additionally had stints as a defensive assistant for robust Baltimore Ravens defenses from 2006 to 2009 earlier than coordinating the Stanford University protection in 2010 and following Jim Harbaugh to the 49ers.
Fangio, who turns 65 in August, additionally coached now-Dolphins edge defender Bradley Chubb throughout his time in cost with the Broncos.
Lovie Smith
Smith, turning 65 in May, would current one other tenured defensive thoughts with earlier head teaching expertise.
He’s coming off a season of main the Houston Texans, promoted from defensive coordinator and affiliate head coach in 2021.
Smith was the top coach with the Chicago Bears from 2004 to 2012, making a Super Bowl look in his third season with a prime protection led by linebacker Brian Urlacher. He was then Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach in 2014 and 2015 earlier than heading all the way down to the faculty ranks and training Illinois from 2016 to 2020.
Before main the Bears, he was defensive coordinator of the St. Louis Rams from 2001 to 2003, reaching a Super Bowl there, and was linebackers coach in Tampa from 1996 to 2000, the place he coached a unit that included Derrick Brooks as that nice Bucs protection started to sprout.
Ejiro Evero
The 42-year-old Denver Broncos defensive coordinator is a quick riser in recent times and has even interviewed for the Panthers’ and Arizona Cardinals’ head teaching jobs, whereas being requested for interviews for different head coach openings.
If he doesn’t land a lead position, Evero can be a scorching identify to get lured to a different defensive coordinator place.
Evero rose as secondary coach and passing recreation coordinator with the Los Angeles Rams in 2021, instructing a unit that included star cornerback Jalen Ramsey and that was a key cog in profitable the final Super Bowl. He was safeties coach with the Rams 4 years prior, and he additionally beforehand held defensive assistant roles with the Packers and 49ers.
Like Fangio, Evero additionally has the reference to Chubb, teaching him the primary half of 2022.
Vance Joseph
Joseph, who was Dolphins defensive coordinator in 2016, was simply concerned in Dolphins head coach interviews final offseason when McDaniel ultimately landed the job, so there was mutual curiosity of late.
Joseph’s profitable season in Miami, which was the franchise’s final playoff look earlier than qualifying for the postseason this yr, led him to earn the Broncos’ head teaching position from 2017 to 2018. As the Chubb connections proceed, Joseph drafted Chubb with the No. 5 decide within the 2018 draft.
After that temporary tenure, Joseph, 50, joined the Cardinals. His protection took a step again in 2022 after rating within the prime 15 in factors and yards the earlier two seasons.
Kris Richard
Back when Flores was employed in 2019, Richard, 43, was one of many candidates being interviewed for the top teaching job in Miami.
He was defensive coordinator of the Seattle Seahawks from 2015 to 2017. When he was up for the Dolphins job, he was Dallas Cowboys defensive backs coach and passing recreation coordinator.
Richard then was defensive backs coach of the Saints in 2021 and was promoted to co-defensive coordinator this previous season as he has labored his means again to coordinator ranks.
Before his first stint as DC, he coached the Seahawks secondary for 5 years as Seattle’s “Legion of Boom” was blossoming.
Sean Desai
Desai, who turns 40 in April, appears to have an identical teaching and communication fashion to McDaniel. And, like McDaniel, he’s an Ivy League grad, incomes a Master’s diploma from Columbia University.
Desai reached the defensive coordinator rank with the Bears in 2021, however he wasn’t saved in Chicago by means of the transition from Matt Nagy to Matt Eberflus. The Bears protection additionally took a dive afterward.
Before changing into coordinator, Desai was safeties coach in Chicago from 2019 to 2020 and defensive high quality management coach for six years earlier than that.
He has one earlier stint in South Florida. Among his faculty stops, he was assistant director of soccer operations on the University of Miami in 2011, the primary season the Hurricanes had been led by Al Golden.
Kris Kocurek
Here’s a possible candidate with earlier ties to each the Dolphins and McDaniel.
Kocurek, 44, was Miami’s line of defense coach in 2018 underneath Adam Gase and has since held the identical position in San Francisco, overlapping with McDaniel over 4 seasons there.
McDaniel additionally has expressed how edge defenders and defensive linemen are his favourite positions in soccer, regardless of having an offensive background. We see what Kocurek has accomplished with former St. Thomas Aquinas star Nick Bosa with the 49ers. McDaniel could wish to convey him in, particularly because it’s arduous to think about a run at San Francisco defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans as believable.
Another identify to observe with former ties to McDaniel with the 49ers is Aaron Whitecotton. He was assistant line of defense coach there and adopted Robert Saleh to the New York Jets to shed the assistant label. Whitecotton has labored wonders up entrance within the Meadowlands, particularly with standout defensive lineman Quinnen Williams, and why not jab at a division rival within the course of?
Jerod Mayo
It appears unlikely because the Patriots’ announcement final week that they’re negotiating with the within linebackers coach to maintain him in New England long run makes it seem to be the Patriots will certainly be taking good care of him.
The former New England linebacker, who might be 37 in February, even turned down a head coach interview with the Panthers, so it will be troublesome to think about him leaving for a defensive coordinator position inside the division.
Gerald Alexander
Alexander, who will flip 39 in June, was a rising defensive coach with Miami in 2020 and 2021 as defensive backs coach, and he took a higher position with the protection as a complete within the second half of 2021 when the unit acquired scorching throughout a seven-game profitable streak.
He took a yr away from teaching. But would McDaniel wish to attain again into the Flores period after simply letting his former defensive coordinator go?
Anthony Campanile/Austin Clark/Sam Madison
If the Dolphins don’t go along with an skilled rent or prime candidate from the skin, might they promote from inside?
It’s telling that McDaniel likes Campanile as linebackers coach, Clark as line of defense coach and Madison as defensive backs coach after the trio was not among the many checklist of defensive coaches dismissed together with Boyer. Those out included exterior linebackers coach Ty McKenzie, safeties coach Steve Gregory and assistant linebackers coach Steve Ferentz. Defensive assistant Patrick Surtain left on his personal to grow to be FSU secondary coach.
Campanile, 40, has the vitality, charisma and communication abilities to probably lead a protection. Clark, 32, is a wonderful instructor and has accomplished nice work with Christian Wilkins and Zach Sieler. Madison, 48, developed undrafted rookie Kader Kohou to the purpose of being a viable NFL starter in his first yr out of Texas A&M-Commerce.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com