Mike LaFleur’s staff rumors and hiring updates….

[JerkFace]

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[Adrian]

Jeremy Fowler
@JFowlerESPN
Before the Nathaniel Hackett hiring, the Arizona Cardinals interviewed Commanders QB coach D.J. Williams for their offensive coordinator role, per source.

Williams was Atlanta's QB coach before joining Washington's staff this cycle.

 

[Totally_Red]

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Three solid candidates imo.

 

[PACardsFan]

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All 3 are solid choices. I can’t help but lean towards anyone named Dino lol.

 

[Chopper0080]

Three solid candidates imo.

Agreed.

 

[Adrian]

Cardinals request to interview Rams' Aubrey Pleasant, 2 others for DC job - Arizona Sports

The Cardinals have reportedly requested to interview Rams defensive passing game coordinator Aubrey Pleasant and two others for their DC job.

arizonasports.com

 

[Adrian]

Jace
@AzJace
·
3h
The #Giants had the second worst ranked defensive on an EPA/Play basis over the first 12 weeks under Shane Bowen.

Charlie Bullen took over after Bowen was fired where the NYG has a top 10 defensive EPA/Play unit.

He coached in Arizona in 2019-2022.

 

[Chopper0080]

Stoutland is leaving the Eagles. Go get him AZ

 

[cardsfanmd]

Wink Martingdale is a DOG. He’s honestly like a defensive version of BA imo. He knows the ropes, knows his job, embraces being fast and physical and is never scared to speak his mind. I worry about him staying on the cutting edge but I’ve coached for 20 years now and firmly embrace keeping things simple and stupid so players are free to make the most of their abilities.

If not Wink, I really like Aubrey Pleasant too. He’s been in the meetings with LaFleur and knows his way around offense and defense. He knows what LaFleur will be doing on O and what he wants from the D.

If we had more experience in the staff, I’d be more comfortable with Vasso who I also really like. He’s a young, smart, ascending guy who has a bright future imo.

 

[cardsfanmd]

Let me start by saying that if Jim Schwartz hits the market his is #1-100 on my list. Crushes all competition.

Wink Martingdale is a DOG. He’s honestly like a defensive version of BA imo. He knows the ropes, knows his job, embraces being fast and physical and is never scared to speak his mind. I worry about him staying on the cutting edge but I’ve coached for 20 years now and firmly embrace keeping things simple and stupid so players are free to make the most of their abilities.

If not Wink, I really like Aubrey Pleasant too. He’s been in the meetings with LaFleur and knows his way around offense and defense. He knows what LaFleur will be doing on O and what he wants from the D.

If we had more experience in the staff, I’d be more comfortable with Vasso who I also really like. He’s a young, smart, ascending guy who has a bright future imo.

 

[slanidrac16]

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So what does that mean for Rallis?

 

[Stout]

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I don't necessarily hate the sound of that.

 

[Stout]

Stoutland is leaving the Eagles. Go get him AZ

I mean, I have to support this one, right?

 

[PDXChris]

Adam Schefter (@adamschefter) on Threads

Cardinals QB coach Israel Woolfork now will be the QB coach for the Ravens, per source. Woolfork interviewed for the Tampa OC job, and also was blocked several times from other openings, before being allowed to pursue other opportunities that resulted in him landing in Baltimore.

www.threads.com

 

[Redsz]

So what does that mean for Rallis?

He gone

 

[602 Native]

He gone

We all hope so

 

[BritCard]

Stoutland is leaving the Eagles. Go get him AZ

Arizona is a nice place to retire to...

 

[daves]

Thanks - THIS is the proper way to refer to LaFleur! The "MLF" crowd can still pronounce it that way and snicker to themselves every time they read or write it, and it won't make people think of Matt Leinart.

And there's no need to add an "i" to distinguish him from his brother, since Matt is mentioned on this site far too infrequently to require referring to him by his initials.

LaFleur has two capital letters in his last name - let's settle on MLF.

Funny - it looks as though the site is automatically removing the "i" now... so my post (and at least one other I've seen) doesn't quite make sense any longer!

 

[TheCardFan]

Jace
@AzJace
·
3h
The #Giants had the second worst ranked defensive on an EPA/Play basis over the first 12 weeks under Shane Bowen.

Charlie Bullen took over after Bowen was fired where the NYG has a top 10 defensive EPA/Play unit.

He coached in Arizona in 2019-2022.

Unless we hire a DC with experience, Charlie Bullen seems like a decent choice.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[TheCardFan]

How Giants Defensive Coordinator Charlie Bullen Has Helped Improve the Defense

Charlie Bullen has quietly gotten the Giants defense to play much better since taking over for the fired Shane Bowen.

www.si.com

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Gandhi]

I already wrote a couple of posts in the head coach-search-thread about potential coordinators for LaFleur, but they are buried somewhere among more than 100 pages, so I guess I should write it here too. I actually thought it would be Raheem Morris for DC.

Keep in mind that coaches usually come from the head coach’s connection, which often means who he has worked with in the past. It was that way with Whisenhunt, Arians, Wilks, and Gannon. It was different with Kingsbury, but he also came directly from the college ranks. Also, there are old videos out there where LaFleur talks about how impressed he is with McVay’s and Shanahan’s eyes for coaching talents. Could it mean that he will take from those two staffs? Anyway, this is obviously not a rule, so I have also included some other options.

Defensive coordinator:

Anthony Weaver was among the Cards’ finalists, so I guess he should be mentioned. Actually, on LaFleur’s first job in the NFL (2014), Weaver was on that staff.

Mark Rutenberg had a DC-interview with Titans and Robert Saleh some days ago. Last year he was the passing game coordinator with the Falcons, but since they hired a new head coach a couple of weeks ago, Rutenberg is probably out. He and LaFleur worked together with the 49ers and the Jets.

Aubrey Pleasant is right now the assistant head coach from the Rams, and thus it would not be a promotion to follow LaFleur. However, just last week he interviewed with the Chargers to become their DC, so maybe he is available.

Ossenfort worked with Jim Schwartz when they were in Tennessee. Schwartz is my biggest hope for a new DC, but it doesn’t seem likely.

Al Harris doesn’t have any connection to LaFleur or Ossenfort, but he seems to be one of the most sought after DC-candidates this cycle, so I just wanted to mention him. He is with the Bears now.

I was a little surprised by the Hackett-hire since the only obvious connection was through LaFleurs’ brother, and I thought that was a bit far-fetched as the reason. However, then I found out that Mike LaFleur and Hackett are actually very close, so suddenly my point made sense again.

Then came the report that they interviewed D.J. Williams from the Commanders for the same position, and I assume that came after advice from Dan Quinn (who LaFleur is also close with), which further gave new perspectives to potential connections.

Followed by reports about interviews with potential DC’s. Charlie Bullen has an obvious connection to Arizona, and Pleasant the same to LaFleur. Dino Vasso I assume is through a connection to Matt Burke, and even though I again find it a bit far-fetched, Burke did in fact push behind the scenes for Vasso to get promoted.

All in all, the last couple of days have confirmed my initial thinking, but also opened up for other, more indirect connections and relations as very relevant.

Could Greg Williams be an option? At least he has full house on the bingo card after having been three years with the Cardinals, one with Matt LaFleur in Green Bay, and two with Mike LaFleur in LA.

DeMarcus Covington, who Ossenfort saw rise up the ranks in New England, and lately have been one year in Green Bay with Mike LaFleur?

What about a wildcard in Jerod Mayo, who Ossenfort helped draft, and followed going from position coach to defensive placaller to head coach at express speed (five years)?

I don’t know. I am only guessing, but I do find it interesting that the network to choose from is a lot bigger than with Wilks, Kingsbury and Gannon.

 

[Sandan]

I hope he can Hackett....LOL

Oh, come on...you were all thinking too

I was thinking about Steve Hackett

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Have 9th row seats to see him at Royal Albert Hall next October

 

[Shane]

I was thinking about Steve Hackett

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Have 9th row seats to see him at Royal Albert Hall next October

Who?

 

[Harry]

Worth noting the Cards are looking at guys on defense with a DB coaching background. I was astonished that even considering injuries, Johnson had zero interceptions. Part of this was a lack of over the top safety help that would enable him to gamble more. The Cards as a whole were weak IMO in generating changes of possession. I think that’s what the Cards are looking for in interviews. BTW Hackett should be okay system wise, but he needs quite a bit of supervision to maintain focus. That’s part of why he won’t be calling plays. He’s better at setting up systems than executing. He won’t be of any help to ML regarding the transition to HC.

 

[RON_IN_OC]

Worth noting the Cards are looking at guys on defense with a DB coaching background. I was astonished that even considering injuries, Johnson had zero interceptions. Part of this was a lack of over the top safety help that would enable him to gamble more. The Cards as a whole were weak IMO in generating changes of possession. I think that’s what the Cards are looking for in interviews. BTW Hackett should be okay system wise, but he needs quite a bit of supervision to maintain focus. That’s part of why he won’t be calling plays. He’s better at setting up systems than executing. He won’t be of any help to ML regarding the transition to HC.

He had one or two ints called back due to penalties.