Patriots ramp-up coordinator interview

Jerod Mayo was hired as the Patriots' 15th head coach earlier this week and has hit the ground running, with multiple sources saying the team has begun interviewing potential defensive teams and special teams coordinators. There are reports. The Patriots' search for a coordinator is likely to expand in the coming days, with news that offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien will be leaving New England for Ohio State to take over the offense.

These early signs indicate that Mayo is looking to an interesting cross-section of the best young coaches around the league as he rebuilds the Patriots' coaching staff.

Below is a summary of recently reported interviews and interview requests.

Add to the list another potential offensive coordinator who worked under Rams head coach Sean McVay. Brown spent three seasons with the Rams (2020-2022) and held multiple titles on McVay's staff. First, Brown served as Los Angeles' running backs coach (2020-21) before moving to tight ends (2022), holding the assistant head coach title his final two seasons with the Rams. Brown orchestrated the Panthers' offense last season under former head coach Frank Reich. Brown is still under contract with Carolina, according to reports. However, the Panthers have hired former Bucs OC Dave Canales as their new head coach, so Brown is currently interviewing for other positions. After a poor year in Carolina, the 37-year-old is expected to take over as head coach, assuming his career bounces back from a tough season with the Panthers.

New England has reportedly interviewed the Texans' quarterbacks coach, an intriguing candidate for several reasons. Johnson, a former NFL quarterback, received praise from Texans rookie quarterback CJ Stroud for his contributions to the expected NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Considering the Patriots are likely to select a quarterback in next year's draft, hiring Johnson and putting the Pats' rookie through the same regiment as Stroud is an attractive proposition. Additionally, Johnson has worked under Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell and Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik as part of the McVay/Shanahan coaching tree. Johnson checks most of the boxes, including being an up-and-coming offensive mind, a history of developing quarterbacks, and experience in the McVay/Shanahan offense.

The Bengals' quarterbacks coach reportedly has a Zoom interview scheduled with head coach Jerod Mayo this week, but the pitcher may not get that far in the process. why? The Titans have hired Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan to be their next head coach at the University of Tennessee, and the pitcher is considered a top candidate to replace Callahan as the Bengals' offensive coordinator. Unless a succession plan is written into a pitcher's contract, Cincinnati will need to formally search for an offensive coordinator, so the pitcher will likely interview elsewhere. Still, the expectation is that he will remain with the Bengals as their new offensive coordinator. If the pitcher is freed, it would follow the theme of the Patriots expressing interest in implementing a West Coast system. Cincy runs less under center than Shana Huntley's other players, but many of their core dropback passing concepts are similar to the Rams assistants who also interviewed with New England.

Fans may remember Robinson's name, as he was selected by the Patriots in the seventh round of the 2010 NFL Draft. Although he only spent one summer in New England, Robinson would have overlapped as a player with head coach Jerrod Mayo. After his playing days ended, Robinson worked in the football business as a quarterback consultant and analyst for Pro Football Focus. He then joined Rams head coach Sean McVay's staff in 2019. Robinson coaches quarterbacks and wide receivers and will officially serve as the Rams' passing game coordinator starting in 2022. Robinson could bring McVay's offense to New England while also working on a package deal with the former Patriots assistant. Coach Nick Caley will be great.

Adam Schefter reported Sunday that the Patriots' first offensive coordinator interview will be with former in-house tight ends coach Nick Keary early this week. Kayley was with the Patriots from 2015 to 2022, leaving last season to spend time with the Rams under Sean McVay. It would be valuable experience in an offense outside of the Patriots' system and could give Kayley unique experience with a different type of offense.

Covington has been on the Patriots' staff since 2017 and has coached perhaps the best-performing unit on the team. A solid run defense in 2023 was led by Covington's defensive line, with junior Christian Bamore having a breakout season. Covington served as the defense coach at the Senior Bowl last year and is attracting attention as a promising young coach. He was particularly present at Mayo's inaugural press conference on Wednesday, and reports say he will now have the chance to interview for a bigger role with the team.

Hodges, 37, has coached the New Orleans Saints' linebackers for the past four seasons, playing a key role in the success of a defense that ranked in the top 10 in scoring each year, and inside linebacker Demario. Davis is a two-time Second Team All-Inside selection. Professional selection will be carried out under his guidance. He has been with the Saints since 2017, previously coaching at Fresno State and Eastern Illinois, and serving as co-defensive coordinator with Patriots defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington in 2016.

Parker was the defensive backs coach at Virginia State University from 2013-2014 and then at Norfolk State University from 2015-2016. He took the defensive analyst job at Notre Dame in 2017 and transferred to Texas A&M in 2018. He entered the NFL as the Packers' defensive quality control coach in 2019 and 2020 before coming to Denver to coach the Broncos in 2021. ' Defensive backs. Parker is still considered one of the league's young rising star coaches even though he is only 32 years old. He played a key role in transforming the Broncos' defense last season under new head coach Sean Payton.

Lukabu, 42, is currently the outside linebackers coach for the Carolina Panthers and also served as Boston College's defensive coordinator on Jeff Hafley's staff from 2020 to 2022. In 2021, BC boasts one of the best defenses in the league, ranking 4th in total defense (343.8 ypg), 1st in passing defense (173.5 ypg), 9th in rushing defense (170.3 ypg), and 3rd in scoring defense. (22.2 ypg). ). Lukabu will serve as the West's defensive coordinator at next week's Shrine Bowl, and Patriots wide receivers coach Troy Brown will also coordinate the West's offense. Lukabu previously spent time in the NFL with the 49ers and Bengals, coaching linebackers for both teams.

Springer, 34, spent the past two seasons as the Rams' assistant special teams coach. He previously played collegiately at Texas A&M (2015-2018), where the Aggies led the nation in blocked kicks and punts in 2017. He moved to Arizona from 2018-20 and completed his final year of college in 2021. At Marshall. Springer has been praised for his work developing Rams kicker Matt Gay and punter Riley Dixon, both of whom had great seasons in Springer's first season in 2022.

Williams, 38, will be the head coach of the East team in next week's Shrine Bowl, where he will compete against West coaches Lukabu and Brown. Williams entered the league through the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship and spent time with both the Bears and Lions early on. He was hired by the Chargers as an assistant special teams coach in 2017, held the position for three seasons, and returned to Detroit in 2019 under head coach Matt Patricia. He spent the past three seasons as the Falcons' special teams coordinator.

McGaughey has been the Giants' special teams coordinator for the past six seasons (2018-23), and previously served with the Panthers (2016-17), 49ers (2015), Jets (2014) and LSU (2011-13). He was enrolled in 2010). He is the most experienced of the first reported special teams coordinator interviews.