Adam Gase‘s new staff in Miami is already taking shape, with Bengals secondary coach Vance Joseph set to come aboard as the Dolphins’ defensive coordinator, Alex Marvez of FoxSports.com tweets.
Marvez notes the second-year Bengals DBs coach will become the Dolphins’ new DC once the Bengals are eliminated from postseason play.
Marvez’s report comes on the heels of NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweeting Joseph will have options after the Bengals’ season is over, but the Dolphins would definitely be targeting him. Joseph is in the final year of his contract, although other outlets say he’ll wait to see where Bengals OC Hue Jackson lands before deciding on his own future.
Joseph has extensive seasoning as a secondary coach, presiding over the 49ers and Texans DBs from 2006-10 (in San Francisco) and 20
11-13 (in Houston).
The Broncos attempted to interview the 43-year-old Joseph for their defensive coordinator position last season, but the Bengals didn’t permit the meeting, leading Denver to go with Wade Phillips.
Marvez also reports (on Twitter) Joseph’s staff in Miami’s forming swiftly, with Bengals linebackers coach Matt Burke, Bears defensive line coach Clint Hurtt and Cowboys defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson set to come to Miami in those same positions under Gase and Joseph.
Henderson already interviewed for the Browns’ head-coaching job, so a report linking him to another position coach job may be premature. He’s been the Cowboys’ secondary coach since 2012.
Burke finished his seventh season as a linebackers coach. He taught the Lions’ backers for five seasons before coming to Cincinnati.
Hurtt doesn’t have as much NFL experience, with 2015 representing his first season as a position coach. He was the Bears’ assistant defensive line coach in 2014.
Although Reggie Nelson‘s eight interceptions finished the 2015 season tied for the league lead, the Bengals enter their wild-card game with the 20th-ranked pass defense.
The Dolphins fired their defensive coordinator, Kevin Coyle, in October.
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