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Latest On Cardinals, Jonathan Gannon

February 13th, 2023 at 2:45pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Cardinals paused their ongoing head coach search during Super Bowl weekend, but appear to have a list of finalists in place for the position. One of those is Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, who is now free to meet with prospective employers with the Super Bowl in the books.

It was reported yesterday morning that the Cardinals were expected to request an interview with the 39-year-old. A follow-up later in the day seemed to point to Gannon not only being a candidate for the posting, but the one in the driver’s seat to be hired. ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that Gannon is expected to interview today.

The Cardinals had their search pared down to three candidates recently: Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and Steelers linebackers coach Brian Flores. The latter took the Vikings’ DC position last week, thus taking himself out of the running to become the new coach in the desert. That left many presuming the other two would be the only remaining contenders, but Gannon’s presence has changed the situation.

Schefter’s colleague Josh Weinfuss reports that the Cardinals have “focused” their resumed search on Anarumo and Gannon (Twitter link). While he emphasizes that Kafka should be considered out of the running altogether, that update underscores how highly-regarded Gannon is by an Arizona front office which is now led by general manager Monti Ossenfort alongside owner Michael Bidwill.

Gannon only has two years of coordinator experience, but his success in 2022 in particular makes him a logical candidate for a HC position. The Eagles were dominant in a number of categories as both their front seven and secondary helped guide the team to the No. 1 seed in the NFC and a trip to the Super Bowl. The performance of Gannon’s unit in the second half of the title game in particular was far from stellar, but he is still likely to be on the head coaching radar in the years to come should he not land the Cardinals position.

Weinfuss adds that a final decision on Arizona’s next head coach could come as soon as tonight, so much will depend on Gannon’s interview. None of the three finalists are considered candidates for the Colts’ vacancy, so the runners-up will be in position to remain in their current roles for the 2023 season.

Updated 2023 NFL Draft Order

February 13th, 2023 at 9:56am CST by Adam La Rose

With Super Bowl LVII in the books, the order of the final two first-round picks in April’s draft have been finalized. The Chiefs once again find themselves at the bottom of the order by virtue of winning their second Lombardi Trophy in the past four years.

The last time they found themselves in that position, they added running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire in what was seen as a selection which would greatly boost their rushing attack. A repeat of that decision is unlikely this time around, given the emergence of seventh-round rookie Isiah Pacheco as the team’s lead back down the stretch, including the Super Bowl in which Edwards-Helaire was deactivated.

For the Eagles, the fact that their own first-rounder will be one spot higher than Kansas City’s is of course no consolation for the outcome of the game. Nevertheless, Philadelphia will have two chances – since they also have the Saints’ top choice, sitting at No. 10 overall – to add high-end rookies to an already strong core. The success both teams enjoyed in 2022, coupled with the strengths of their respective front offices, should have them well-positioned to contend once again next season.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2022 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is how the draft order looks at the regular season’s close:

  1. Chicago Bears: 3-14
  2. Houston Texans: 3-13-1
  3. Arizona Cardinals: 4-13
  4. Indianapolis Colts: 4-12-1
  5. Seattle Seahawks (via Broncos)
  6. Detroit Lions (via Rams)
  7. Las Vegas Raiders: 6-11
  8. Atlanta Falcons: 7-10
  9. Carolina Panthers: 7-10
  10. Philadelphia Eagles (via Saints)
  11. Tennessee Titans: 7-10
  12. Houston Texans (via Browns)
  13. New York Jets: 7-10
  14. New England Patriots: 8-9
  15. Green Bay Packers: 8-9
  16. Washington Commanders: 8-8-1
  17. Pittsburgh Steelers: 9-8
  18. Detroit Lions: 9-8
  19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8-9
  20. Seattle Seahawks: 9-8
  21. Los Angeles Chargers: 10-7
  22. Baltimore Ravens: 10-7
  23. Minnesota Vikings: 13-4
  24. Jacksonville Jaguars: 9-8
  25. New York Giants: 9-7-1
  26. Dallas Cowboys: 12-5
  27. Buffalo Bills: 13-3
  28. Cincinnati Bengals: 12-4
  29. New Orleans Saints (via 49ers through Broncos)
  30. Philadelphia Eagles: 14-3
  31. Kansas City Chiefs: 14-3

This year’s draft will feature a 31-pick first round. The Dolphins’ penalty for the Tom Brady–Sean Payton tampering scandal cost them their 2023 first-round choice

Dan Pitcher To Remain With Bengals

February 12th, 2023 at 8:51am CST by Adam La Rose

FEBRUARY 12: Pitcher will remain in Cincinnati, per Garafolo (via Twitter). It appears that Pitcher’s second interview with the Bucs went well, and he was clearly considered a top candidate, but he will return to the Bengals and will presumably be a name to watch during next year’s OC searches.

FEBRUARY 6: When Dan Pitcher‘s new deal with the Bengals was reported, it seemed as though his name as a potential OC candidate (at least outside of the organization) would be scratched off the list of interested teams. Cincinnati’s quarterbacks coach could still be available for an outside hire, however.

Tampa Bay is set to hold a second interview with Pitcher for their offensive coordinator vacancy, reports Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (video link). Unlike his first meeting, this one will be in person, and will take place this week, Garafolo adds. Having just been extended, many presumed Pitcher’s only opportunity to take on an OC role would be in Cincinnati, in the event Brian Callahan were to receive a head coaching gig.

The Buccaneers have cast a wide net in their search for their Byron Leftwich replacement. The team struggled on offense in general and on the ground in particular in 202, leading to internal strife between Leftwich, head coach Todd Bowles and quarterback Tom Brady. With the latter now retired, Tampa Bay is looking for a new OC while dealing with plenty of uncertainty under center.

Picher, 36, interviewed for the first time with the Buccaneers last month. That preceded the news of his new deal with the Bengals, with whom he has worked since 2016. Picher has been the team’s top QBs coach for the past three seasons, and has played a key role in helping Joe Burrow become one of the top passers in the league. His work will likely lead to further OC interest in the near future, even if this second meeting with Tampa Bay does not yield what would be a surprising move to the NFC South.

With Pitcher set to interview for a second time, here is an updated look at the Bucs’ OC search:

Latest On Bengals WRs Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd

February 11th, 2023 at 2:57pm CST by Adam La Rose

During their playoff runs of the past two seasons, the Bengals have often been said to possess the NFL’s best receiving trio. Ja’Marr Chase leads the unit, but his two top supporting pass-catchers have played significant roles in the team’s success. Their respective futures could be headed in opposite directions, however.

Tee Higgins has become a highly productive wideout in his own right, spending one year in Cincinnati before Chase’s arrival and two years after it. As a rookie, Higgins totaled 908 yards and six touchdowns on 67 catches. The Bengals’ addition of Chase raised questions about Higgins’ workload to a degree, but the Clemson product has put up nearly identical statlines over the past two seasons with 74 receptions, over 1,000 yards and at least six scores in each campaign.

Higgins, 24, is now eligible for an extension. As a key member of the Bengals’ young core, he figures to be one of the team’s top offseason priorities (though finalizing a mega-deal with quarterback Joe Burrow tops that list). The former second-rounder would be in line for a hefty raise on a new pact given not only his production, but his age and position. The receiver market erupted last offseason, and is likely to continue to do so with the cap ceiling set to increase considerably in the future.

When speaking on the subject of his future, Higgins made his intentions clear. Specifically, he said, “I plan on being in Cincinnati for a while” (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network). He is on the books for the 2023 season, the final year of his rookie contract, but would make for a logical extension candidate to stay in place alongside Burrow and Chase as the foundation of the Bengals’ offense. Things may be much different for the third member of Cincinnati’s WR trio.

Tyler Boyd has been a consistent complimentary piece in the Burrow era, but the presence of Higgins and Chase has had an unsurprising effect on the veteran’s workload. Boyd has seen his target and reception totals drop in each of the past three seasons. His 762 yards this past campaign was his fewest since 2017, and he figures to continue taking on a smaller role in the team’s passing attack.

Knowing that, the 28-year-old is aware of his status as a cut candidate. Boyd is under contract for one more year at a cap hit of $10.3MM, but with no guaranteed money left on his pact, the Bengals would see just under $9MM in savings via a release. He recently acknowledged the possibility of his Bengals tenure coming to an end, albeit with an optimistic tone.

“We’ll see what they want to do with me, but I know I’m still entitled for a year,” Boyd said, via ESPN’s Ben Baby. “I’m not counting my chances of not being here out. You never know.”

The Bengals are currently in better shape than most teams in terms of cap space, but several extensions with recent draftees need to be budgeted for. Whether or not their highly-acclaimed receiving trio remains intact for one more year will be worth watching as the offseason takes shape.

Don Martindale, Brian Callahan Out Of Colts HC Pursuit

February 10th, 2023 at 10:33am CST by Sam Robinson

10:40am: Callahan has also been informed he is no longer in the mix for the Indy job, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets. Although the Cardinals interviewed Callahan as well, he is not believed to have advanced to the finals of that race. These developments will keep Callahan in Cincinnati for a fifth year as the AFC contender’s offensive coordinator.

Only one of the 10 HC-seeking teams last year (Denver) interviewed Callahan, and he was a late entry into both the Arizona and Indianapolis searches this year. Keeping Callahan for another season will continue to ensure continuity for a rising Bengals team, which has seen its Joe Burrow-led offense ignite over the past two seasons.

10:33am: As the Colts move closer to ending their long-running search for a head coach, Don Martindale is no longer believed to be in the running. The Giants’ defensive coordinator is out of the mix, Michael Silver of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets.

The 2022 Giants DC hire is staying in New York, Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News notes (via Twitter). Martindale remains attached to a three-year Giants contract. This represents a positive development for Brian Daboll‘s staff, which still risks losing offensive coordinator Mike Kafka. The young play-caller remains in the race for the Cardinals’ head coaching job. Kafka did not receive a second Colts interview.

One of eight Colts candidates to have gone through a second interview, Martindale joins Ejiro Evero among that lot in no longer being in contention for the position. Evero was one of the first names to be connected to a second Indianapolis meeting, but he accepted Carolina’s DC offer. The Colts are also now unlikely to bump Jeff Saturday up to their full-time HC.

Martindale took over a Giants defense that featured gaping holes at linebacker and cornerback, and while DVOA viewed the Giants as a bottom-tier defense (29th), the group fared well in spots the help Daboll’s team to key wins during one of the more surprising runs to the divisional round in recent memory. Dexter Lawrence‘s breakthrough under Martindale certainly looks like a seminal development, with the former first-round pick now squarely on the radar for a monster extension.

Should Saturday and Martindale indeed be out of the running, it would leave Rich Bisaccia, Brian Callahan, Aaron Glenn, Raheem Morris and Shane Steichen left in the race. With the Colts likely waiting until after Super Bowl LVII, Steichen — finishing up his second season as Eagles OC — remains a name to watch here. Many around the NFL believe Jim Irsay is targeting Steichen, Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports tweets.

Lou Anarumo, Mike Kafka Set For Second Cardinals HC Interviews

February 4th, 2023 at 6:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

The first known finalists for Arizona’s head coaching vacancy have emerged. The Cardinals are set to meet for a second time with Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo and Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka (Twitter links via Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network).

Anarumo, 56, has been in Cincinnati since 2019, a spot which gave him his second career DC opportunity. His role in helping the Bengals emerge as AFC heavyweights over the past two seasons has increasingly been brought to the attention of the NFL community, as the 2023 coaching cycle continues. Anarumo’s unit surrendered the sixth-fewest points in the regular season in 2022, earning him and Bengals OC Brian Callahan interviews with the Cardinals this past week.

Most of the candidates named in Arizona’s search to date have a background on the defensive side of the ball. The Cardinals fielded the league’s second-worst scoring defense in 2022, and its roster turnover this offseason will include future Hall of Fame edge rusher J.J. Watt not returning. Immediately following the announcement of Kliff Kingsbury‘s firing, DC Vance Joseph was mentioned as a serious candidate to replace him. Several external candidates have been interviewed since, however, including Anarumo. The latter will meet virtually with new general manager Monti Ossenfort on Friday, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer (Twitter link).

No timetable is yet known for Kafka’s interview, though it too will take place via Zoom. The 35-year-old took on an OC position for the first time in 2022, when he joined Brian Daboll‘s first Giants staff. His work as a QBs coach in Kansas City put him on the coordinator radar, though it still came as a surprise when he was given play-calling duties. That move paid dividends for Big Blue, as the Giants shattered expectations en route to a run to the Divisional Round of the playoffs.

Kafka has interviewed with four of the five teams which entered this offseason in need of a new coach, underscoring his perceived value around the league. He met with the Texans for a second time last month, though Houston has since made the expected move of hiring DeMeco Ryans as their new bench boss. With a second interview now on tap with Arizona, though, the possibility remains that he could land a HC job to cap off his noteworthy rise.

With the second round of their HC search set to begin soon, here is the updated breakdown of the Cardinals’ interview process:

Coaching Notes: Texans, 49ers, Bengals, Panthers

February 4th, 2023 at 12:38pm CST by Ben Levine

DeMeco Ryans was a popular name on the head coach market before ultimately landing with the Texans. The now-former 49ers defensive coordinator also generated strong interest from the Broncos, but the coach admitted that his choice to join Houston instead of Denver wasn’t all that difficult.

“When it came down to it, there was no place I wanted to be any more than H-Town,” Ryans said earlier this week (via NFL Network’s Bridget Condon on Twitter). “…It was a no brainer.”

While Ryans’ comments could certainly be interpreted as shade being thrown at the Broncos, his comments were more about his connection to Houston and the Texans organization. Ryans was selected by the Texans in the second round of the 2006 draft, and he proceeded to spend six years with the organization. While the Texans were able to lure their favorite for the job, the Broncos had to pivot to Sean Payton, who was ultimately dealt from the Saints to Denver.

With Ryans now in the building, the focus shifts to the rest of the coaching staff. Naturally, the coach will be looking to some of his former peers for positions, as we previously heard that 49ers passing game coordinator Bobby Slowik as well as 49ers defensive quality control coaches Andrew Hayes-Stoker and Stephen Adegoke are candidates to join Ryans in Houston. Matt Barrows of The Athletic adds another name to the list of targeted 49ers coaches, noting that Ryans leaned heavily on safeties coach Daniel Bullocks when he was in San Francisco. Barrows described Bullocks as Ryans’ “eyes in the coaches’ booth,” so it wouldn’t be a huge surprise if the head coach recruits his confidante to Houston.

More coaching notes from around the NFL…

  • Bengals quarterbacks coach Dan Pitcher interviewed for the Buccaneers offensive coordinator job before Cincinnati ultimately signed him to an extension. However, the new contract hasn’t stopped teams from inquiring on his availability. Bengals head coach Zac Taylor indicated that “there’s still interest from other teams” in adding Pitcher to their staff, per ESPN’s Ben Baby on Twitter. Pitcher became the club’s quarterbacks coach in 2020, and his work with 2020 No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow over the past few years is starting to pique the interest of other organizations.
  • It’s been a bit since we heard that the Commanders requested an interview with 49ers assistant head coach/running backs coach Anthony Lynn for their offensive coordinator vacancy. Earlier this week, Josina Anderson passed along (via Twitter) that Lynn had follow-up and informal conversations with the Commanders to determine “if there is mutual interest.” It’s uncertain if the two sides decided to move on with a formal interview.
  • Commanders defensive backs coach Chris Harris interviewed for the 49ers defensive coordinator vacancy earlier this week. If Harris doesn’t land the gig, he’s most likely going to end up on the Titans coaching staff, per Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (via Twitter). We heard last month that Harris was set to join the Titans as their their defensive pass game coordinator and cornerbacks coach. However, no deal was finalized, and Harris was clearly waiting out the 49ers’ search before fully committing to Tennessee.
  • The Panthers are searching for new coordinators on both sides of the ball, but it sounds like their special teams coordinator will be sticking around under new head coach Frank Reich. According to Joseph Person of The Athletic, general manager Scott Fitterer and owner David Tepper encouraged head coaching candidates to retain ST coordinator Chris Tabor and offensive line coach James Campen for next season. Following a four-year stint as the Bears special teams head, Tabor joined the Panthers last offseason, with Reich describing the unit as “really strong.” Campen has bounced around a bit in recent years before landing in Carolina for the 2022 campaign.

Misdemeanor Menacing Charge Against Bengals RB Joe Mixon Dropped

February 3rd, 2023 at 6:53pm CST by Adam La Rose

Bengals running back Joe Mixon had a misdemeanor menacing charge against him dropped earlier today, marking a notable turn of events for his case, which may not be over yet. The warrant for the 26-year-old, which alleged that he pointed a gun at a woman’s head last month, was dismissed by a Hamilton County (OH) judge, as detailed by Sharon Coolidge and Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer.

The original investigator for the case was initially instructed to begin a “cursory review” of the matter, which allegedly took place on January 21, before proceeding with charges. Since that failed to take place, the case has since been reassigned, per a statement from the Cincinnati Police Department. The woman in question has remained cooperative with the investigation to date, including the decision to drop the charge at this time.

Mixon’s agent was confident that would take place today, writes ESPN’s Ben Baby. However, the possibility still remains that charges could be refiled in the future, as the investigation into the matter remains ongoing. “The evidence will guide CPD’s investigation and actions, and newly obtained evidence has since been recovered,” per the police statement. “Once all evidence is fully examined, criminal charges can be refiled at a later date.”

Pointing a gun – which Mixon is accused of doing as part of a road-rage incident – is a first-degree misdemeanor in Ohio. The alleged incident took place shortly before the Bengals headed to Buffalo for their Divisional Round game against the Bills. Cincinnati’s season came to an end the following week, leaving Mixon with two years remaining on his current contract.

As the investigation is still ongoing, more will no doubt be announced in the near future with respect to evidence collected and whether or not Mixon will ultimately face criminal charges upon its conclusion.

2023 NFL Cap Space, By Team

February 2nd, 2023 at 1:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Earlier this week, the NFL revealed its 2023 salary cap. Teams can now budget for their offseasons, knowing a $224.8MM ceiling is in place. This year’s nonexclusive franchise and transition tag numbers also emerged, giving teams more clarity on those fronts as well. With that in mind, here is where every team stands in terms of cap space:

  1. Chicago Bears: $90.91MM
  2. Atlanta Falcons: $56.42MM
  3. New York Giants: $44.28MM
  4. Houston Texans: $37.56MM
  5. Cincinnati Bengals: $35.55MM
  6. New England Patriots: $32.71MM
  7. Seattle Seahawks: $31.04MM
  8. Baltimore Ravens: $26.87MM
  9. Las Vegas Raiders: $19.78MM
  10. Arizona Cardinals: $14.47MM
  11. Kansas City Chiefs: $13.96MM
  12. Detroit Lions: $13.83MM
  13. Indianapolis Colts: $12.59MM
  14. Denver Broncos: $9.07MM
  15. San Francisco 49ers: $8.28MM
  16. Washington Commanders: $8.24MM
  17. Philadelphia Eagles: $4.24MM
  18. Pittsburgh Steelers: $1.03MM
  19. New York Jets: $1.31MM over the cap
  20. Dallas Cowboys: $7.18MM over
  21. Carolina Panthers: $8.94MM over
  22. Los Angeles Rams: $14.19MM over
  23. Cleveland Browns: $14.64MM over
  24. Miami Dolphins: $16.45MM over
  25. Green Bay Packers: $16.48MM over
  26. Buffalo Bills: $17.88MM over
  27. Los Angeles Chargers: $20.38MM over
  28. Jacksonville Jaguars: $22.35MM over
  29. Minnesota Vikings: $23.43MM over
  30. Tennessee Titans: $23.67MM over
  31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $55.03MM over
  32. New Orleans Saints: $60.47MM over

These figures (courtesy of OverTheCap) will change dramatically in the coming weeks, but this is where each team stands ahead of Super Bowl LVII. After that point, cap-casualty cuts can begin taking place. Restructures, extensions and trades will commence as well, with the Saints of recent years doing well to prove there are a few roads to cap compliance.

While New Orleans is in its usual February place, the team actually was further over the 2021 and ’22 caps at this point on the NFL calendar. Using void years to load up its roster during Tom Brady‘s three-year stay, Tampa Bay has seen much of that bill come due. If Brady does not re-sign a procedural deal, which would allow for the Buccaneers to spread out his dead money, the team will be hit with a $35.1MM dead-cap charge this year.

The Browns led the league by a wide margin in cap carryover from 2022, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Cleveland carried over $27.6MM in cap space. The Browns paced the league in cap space throughout the 2022 season, bracing for the Deshaun Watson contract’s spike. As of now, Watson’s cap figure will balloon from $9.4MM to $54.9MM. No NFL player has ever played a season on a cap number higher than $45MM.

The Panthers, Broncos, Bears and Raiders rounded out the top five in carryover dollars, ranging from $10.8MM to $6.7MM. Chicago ate considerable dead money via the Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn trades. The rebuilding team is still paying most of Quinn’s salary, doing so in order to secure a better draft pick from the Eagles. The Bears will have quite the opportunity to bolster their roster in Ryan Poles‘ second year in charge, leading the league by a massive margin and holding the No. 1 overall pick. The Falcons still have $12MM-plus in Deion Jones dead money on their 2023 payroll, but the team is rid of Matt Ryan‘s record-setting dead-cap hit ($40MM).

Baltimore will have a major decision to make in the coming weeks. GM Eric DeCosta said he has not decided if the team will place the exclusive or nonexclusive tag on Lamar Jackson. Even the nonexclusive number — $32.42MM — will dramatically change the Ravens’ budget ahead of free agency. The exclusive tag, which prevents other teams from submitting an offer sheet to Jackson, is expected to come in just north of $45MM.

Latest On Texans’ Coordinator Searches

January 31st, 2023 at 9:17pm CST by Ben Levine

The Texans have secured their new head coach, as the organization agreed to a six-year contract with DeMeco Ryans earlier today. Now, the organization is shifting the focus to coordinators, and the Texans have already starting compiling a list of candidates for both roles.

[RELATED: Texans Hire DeMeco Ryans As HC]

It sounds like Ryans will presumably bring in his own staff, meaning incumbent offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton will likely be on the outside looking in. The Texans have already started reaching out to potential candidates, with NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reporting (via Twitter) that the organization has requested an interview with 49ers passing game coordinator Bobby Slowik for the OC job. Meanwhile, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reports (on Twitter) that the Texans have also requested permission to interview Bengals wide receivers coach Troy Walters for the gig.

Slowik would be a natural fit if Ryans is hoping to implement some of San Francisco’s offensive philosophies. Slowik has been with the 49ers since 2017 and actually started on the defensive side of the ball. He moved to offense in 2019, became an offensive pass game specialist in 2021, and earned the promotion to offensive passing game coordinator in 2022. The 49ers, of course, dealt with a number of injuries at quarterback this past season, but the team still got 29 passing touchdowns (vs. only eight interceptions) from Jimmy Garoppolo and rookie Brock Purdy.

It’s not a huge surprise that Walters is getting a look for an offensive coordinator job. While the Bengals organization has invested plenty of resources into the receiver position, Walters has still gotten the most out of the trio of Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd. The 46-year-old coach doesn’t have much of an NFL coaching resume, but he previously served as offensive coordinator at UCF and Nebraska.

The 49ers didn’t have a defensive coordinator in 2022, with head coach Lovie Smith mostly being responsible for defensive play-calling. With Smith now out of the picture, it sounds like Ryans will be looking for someone to help guide the defense. According to Aaron Wilson of Click2Houston.com (via Twitter), the Texans have interest in Jets safeties coach Marquand Manuel for the defensive coordinator job.

Following an eight-year playing career, Manuel joined the coaching ranks as an assistant special teams coach with the Seahawks in 2012. He worked his way up to become the Falcons’ defensive coordinator from 2017-18, but following a top-10 performance during his first year, Atlanta finished in the bottom five in 2018, leading to his ouster. After a one-year stint as a DBs coach with the Eagles in 2020, Manuel joined Robert Saleh‘s first Jets staff in 2021 and has served as Gang Green’s safeties coach over the past two seasons. The Jets allowed the fourth-fewest yards per game and the third-fewest passing yards per game in 2022, leading to him also garnering an interview for the Panthers’ defensive coordinator job.

The Texans also have interest in 49ers passing game specialist-secondary coach Cory Undlin for the defensive coordinator job, according to Wilson (on Twitter). Besides having worked extensively with Ryans over the past two years, Undlin has experience as a defensive coordinator, having served in the role with the Lions in 2020. Of course, that stint ended with his firing, but Undlin has seemingly rehabilitated his image following two successful seasons in San Francisco. The long-time coach won Super Bowl rings with the Patriots and Eagles, and he’s also head coaching stints with the Browns, Jaguars, and Broncos.

Undlin isn’t the only 49ers defensive coach that Ryans is considering. According to Wilson, the Texnas also have interest in 49ers defensive line coach Kris Kocurek. However, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan is “expected to work to keep his staff intact” following Ryans’ move to Houston. Matt Barrows of The Athletic tweets that Ryans could also recruit 49ers defensive quality control coaches Stephen Adegoke and Andrew Hayes-Stoker to Houston (but presumably not for the DC job).

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