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Brandon Lynch

2024 Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

February 9th, 2024 at 1:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

After a crowded carousel previously stopped, the 49ers opened their defensive coordinator position. Here is how the NFC champions’ search looks:

Updated 3-2-24 (10:00am CT)

Offensive Coordinators

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Dave Ragone)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Ken Dorsey)

  • Joe Brady, interim offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach (Bills): Hired
  • Thad Lewis, quarterbacks coach (Buccaneers): Interviewed

Carolina Panthers (Out: Thomas Brown)

  • Marcus Brady, senior offensive assistant (Eagles): Interview requested
  • Brad Idzik, wide receivers coach (Buccaneers): Hired

Chicago Bears (Out: Luke Getsy)

Cincinnati Bengals (Out: Brian Callahan)

  • Andy Dickerson, offensive line coach (Seahawks): To interview
  • Dan Pitcher, quarterbacks coach (Bengals): Promoted

Cleveland Browns (Out: Alex Van Pelt)

Las Vegas Raiders (Out: Mick Lombardi)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Kellen Moore)

New England Patriots (Out: Bill O’Brien)

New Orleans Saints (Out: Pete Carmichael)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Brian Johnson)

  • Jerrod Johnson, quarterbacks coach (Texans): Interviewed
  • Kliff Kingsbury, senior offensive analyst (USC): Interviewed 1/23
  • Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator (Chargers): Hired

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Matt Canada)

Seattle Seahawks (Out: Shane Waldron)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Dave Canales)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Tim Kelly)

  • Nick Holz, passing game coordinator (Jaguars): Hired
  • Thad Lewis, quarterbacks coach (Buccaneers): Interviewed
  • Eric Studesville, associate head coach/running backs coach (Dolphins): Interview requested

Washington Commanders (Out: Eric Bieniemy)

  • Chip Kelly, former head coach (Eagles/49ers): On team’s radar
  • Kliff Kingsbury, senior offensive analyst (USC): Hired

Defensive Coordinators

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Ryan Nielsen)

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Mike Macdonald)

  • Zach Orr, inside linebackers coach (Ravens): Promoted

Buffalo Bills

  • Bobby Babich, linebackers coach (Bills): Promoted
  • Mike Caldwell, former defensive coordinator (Jaguars): Interviewed
  • Sean Desai, former defensive coordinator (Eagles): To interview

Chicago Bears (Out: Alan Williams)

  • Joe Barry, former defensive coordinator (Packers): To interview 1/27
  • Chris Harris, secondary coach (Titans): To interview
  • Eric Washington, assistant head coach/defensive line coach (Bills): Hired
  • Terrell Williams, assistant head coach/defensive line coach (Titans): To interview

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Dan Quinn)

Green Bay Packers (Out: Joe Barry)

Jacksonville Jaguars (Out: Mike Caldwell)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Derrick Ansley)

  • Jesse Minter, defensive coordinator (Michigan): Hired

Los Angeles Rams (Out: Raheem Morris)

Miami Dolphins (Out: Vic Fangio)

New England Patriots

  • DeMarcus Covington, defensive line coach (Patriots): Promoted
  • Michael Hodges, linebackers coach (Saints): To interview
  • Tem Lukabu, outside linebackers coach (Panthers): To interview
  • Christian Parker, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Interviewed

New York Giants (Out: Don Martindale)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Sean Desai)

  • Mike Caldwell, former defensive coordinator (Jaguars): Interviewed
  • Vic Fangio, former defensive coordinator (Dolphins): Hired
  • Ron Rivera, former head coach (Commanders): Interviewed 1/22

San Francisco 49ers (Out: Steve Wilks)

  • Gerald Alexander, safeties coach (Raiders): Interviewed 3/1
  • Daniel Bullocks, defensive backs coach (49ers): Interviewed 2/28
  • David Merritt, defensive backs coach (Chiefs): To interview
  • Nick Sorensen, defensive passing game specialist (49ers): Promoted
  • Brandon Staley, former head coach (Chargers): Interviewed

Seattle Seahawks (Out: Clint Hurtt)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Shane Bowen)

  • Brandon Lynch, cornerbacks coach (Browns): Interviewed 1/30
  • Dennard Wilson, defensive backs coach (Ravens): Hired

Washington Commanders (Out: Jack Del Rio)

  • Joe Cullen, defensive line coach (Chiefs): Considered a candidate
  • Joe Whitt, defensive backs coach (Cowboys): Hired

Titans Interview Brandon Lynch For DC; Team Retaining Shane Bowen During Search

January 30th, 2024 at 8:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

After the Browns put together a quality defensive season, one of their assistants is on the coordinator radar. Brandon Lynch is the first of Jim Schwartz‘s assistants to land such a meeting.

The four-year Browns assistant met with the Titans on Tuesday, Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz tweets. Brown spent the 2023 season as Cleveland’s cornerbacks coach. The 41-year-old assistant spent most of the 2010s in the college ranks, but new Tennessee HC Brian Callahan certainly has observed Lynch’s work in recent years.

[RELATED: Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker]

Callahan’s Bengals wideouts tussled with the Browns’ corners twice a year. The Browns initially hired Lynch to be their assistant DBs coach under Joe Woods in 2020; despite the DC changeover last year, the team retained Lynch. Denzel Ward earned his second Pro Bowl nod, and the Browns ranked first in pass defense. The Browns hired Lynch after he spent time coaching DBs at Northern Iowa and East Carolina during the 2010s.

Lynch and Ravens assistant Dennard Wilson are the only candidates for the Titans’ DC job so far. While it would certainly appear incumbent Shane Bowen is on his way out, veteran Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky notes the team is retaining its current DC while it assesses outside options. Bowen, 37, worked as Tennessee’s DC for the past three seasons. He has interviewed with the Giants and Jaguars this far. The New York job remains open, but the Jacksonville position went to Ryan Nielsen.

It would surprise if the Titans retained Bowen, who was with the team throughout Mike Vrabel‘s tenure. Bowen began his Titans run as their outside linebackers coach under Dean Pees from 2018-20. The Titans ranked in the top half throughout Bowen’s tenure, checking in 16th in scoring defense this season. As Bowen waits, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport adds pass-game analyst Pat O’Hara will not be retained. O’Hara joined Bowen in being on all six Vrabel-led staffs. O’Hara, 55, also coached with Vrabel in Houston.

AFC Coaching Updates: Wayne, Raiders, Texans, Browns

March 3rd, 2023 at 9:12pm CST by Ely Allen

Despite the change in head coach from Frank Reich to Shane Steichen, former elite wide receiver Reggie Wayne will remain as the Colts‘ wide receivers coach in 2023, according to a tweet from Wayne’s account. After a challenging first year coaching one of the league’s youngest wide receivers rooms, Wayne will be back for a second year.

Last year, many knew Wayne faced a challenge. The team returned top wideout Michael Pittman, who was coming off of a 1,082-yard, six-touchdown season. The biggest issue following Pittman’s breakout year, though, was his lack of help. Behind Pittman, the Colts’ two leading wide receivers were Zach Pascal with 384 yards and T.Y. Hilton with 331 yards. Wayne needed to coach up some help for Pittman.

Wayne’s efforts of supporting Pittman focused on a healthy season for fourth-year wide receiver Parris Campbell and a strong rookie year from second-round pick Alec Pierce. Campbell had appeared in only 15 of a possible 49 games in his first three seasons and had failed to ever surpass 200 receiving yards. In 2022 under Wayne, Campbell appeared in every game and recorded career-highs in receptions (63), receiving yards (623), and receiving touchdowns (3). Pierce backed him up with a strong rookie campaign that saw him supplement Pittman and Campbell with 41 catches for 593 yards and two touchdowns.

The Colts could certainly use some more support from the depth pieces in the receivers room, but a second year of Wayne overseeing the development of Pittman, Campbell, and Pierce should excite Colts fans. That is, as long Steichen and company can figure out a strong passing option from Nick Foles, Matt Ryan, and Sam Ehlinger.

Here are a few more coaching updates from around the AFC:

  • The Raiders have hired Derius Swinton II as their new assistant special teams coach, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Las Vegas needed to fill the position after former assistant special teams coach Maurice Drayton left to accept the role of head coach at his alma mater, The Citadel. Swinton didn’t coach in the NFL last year after being fired from his job of special teams coordinator by the Chargers following the 2021 season.
  • The Texans have brought on a defensive coaching assistant from the college ranks, hiring Miami (Fla.) defensive ends coach Rod Wright as a defensive assistant, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. In his first year with the Hurricanes, Wright did a strong job of getting production out of transfers and holdovers from before the era of current head coach Mario Cristobal. This will be Wright’s first position in the NFL after coaching gigs at Texas, Sam Houston State, East Carolina, and UTSA.
  • We’ve covered a couple of new hires to the Browns coaching staff this offseason, but the team made a few changes to current staffers’ roles that necessitate reporting, according to Browns staff writer Anthony Polsal. Callie Brownson received the title of assistant wide receivers coach in addition to her role of chief of staff last season, and she will move into a full-time role as assistant wide receivers coach, dropping the moniker of chief of staff. Formerly an offensive quality control coach, Ashton Grant has been promoted to the role of offensive assistant with a focus on quarterbacks. After serving as a scouting assistant for the team since 2020, Riley Hecklinski has been granted the role of coordinator of coaching logistics. Former assistant defensive backs coach Brandon Lynch has been promoted to cornerbacks coach. Lastly, Kevin Rogers, who has served as a senior offensive assistant with the team since 2020, will move to the role of senior assistant/special projects.