It's early, but here are 6 names I can see Jerry considering .......... familiarity and/or strong postseason experience are huge factors IMO.
*** Al Harris.....Defensive passing coordinator/back, Bears... no defensive coordinator experience.
***Brian Flores...Vikings defensive coordinator. Contract expires at the end of the season. He will likely resign with the Vikes IMO. But their season could go south coz they have serious QB issues after IRing Wentz.
Brian Flores' defensive scheme is a complex, aggressive, and versatile system that blends multiple philosophies to confuse offenses, frequently employing heavy blitzes and pressure from unusual alignments. Key elements include "heavy" fronts with extra rushers (six or seven-man pressure), disguised coverage looks (like showing a blitz but dropping players into coverage), and a heavy usage of sub-packages, especially with multiple safeties on the field
***Wink Martindale....Defensive coordinator, Michigan ( one GM called him a blitzing madman). Similar to the former late Eagle DC, Jim Johnson.
Wink Martindale's defensive scheme is known for its aggressive, blitz-heavy approach with heavy use of pre-snap disguise and man coverage. Key features include creating pressure through creative blitz packages, often by overloading one side of the line, and playing a high percentage of man-to-man coverage in the secondary. This requires defensive backs to be able to hold up against receivers one-on-one for extended periods, with the scheme creating a "give and take" where pressure is prioritized over pass coverage, but coverage must be solid when pressure doesn't get there quickly
***Ron Rivera......General Manager with the California Bears. He is a Jim Johnson disciple but runs a zone-based scheme, similar to Eberflus
Ron Rivera's defensive scheme is primarily a zone-based scheme that relies on a four-man front, though he has also used a 3-4 alignment and incorporates elements of man-to-man coverage. It typically features a four-lineman rush with seven players dropping into coverage, with
Cover 3 and
Quarters zone being frequently used. The scheme prioritizes sound fundamental play and a dominant defensive line, but can be vulnerable to explosive plays due to its reliance on zone looks
*** Leslie Frazier....Seahawks assistant head coach. Tony Dungy disciple who runs a variation of Tampa 2
Leslie Frazier's defensive scheme is primarily a nickel-heavy system that relies on a strong front four to generate pressure, while the back seven plays mostly zone coverage, though it has the ability to blitz and play man. Key elements include utilizing five or more defensive backs frequently, particularly a versatile slot corner, and a tendency for aggressive pre-snap looks and post-snap adjustments (audibles and checks)
*** Jim Schwartz...Browns' defensive coordinator. He may or may not be available, but he has a history of quickly turning around bad defenses, similar to Wade Phillips.
Jim Schwartz's defensive scheme is a traditional 4-3 base with a "wide-9" alignment that uses aggressive, man-heavy coverage and aims to create pressure with its front seven. Key elements include using stunts and twists from the defensive line, playing aggressive man-to-man coverage in the secondary, and a focus on stopping the run. This approach is designed to be relatively simple pre-snap to confuse offenses and allows his elite defensive linemen to create pressure and his defensive backs to play tightly on receivers
Jim Schwartz is a highly regarded defensive coordinator and was very effective with the Eagles. Eagles consistently had a top-5 run defense and pass rush that consistently overachieved relative to injuries they had at defensive tackle\
Note; He signed with the Browns before 2023 but nothing was released about his contract. Generally speaking, the standard is that coordinators usually sign 3-year deals while head coaches sign 5. This could mean he's in the final year of his contract. He could also be fired along with the head coach......The Browns are headed for another top 5 draft pick.
Note II: Not sure if you heard but Garrett was ticked off after losing Sunday, although he had 5 sacks. Say he's tired of losing. (Could he demand a trade after the season..... something to keep an eye on)
