Another NFL team in need of a defensive coordinator has emerged as a suitor for New York Giants’ outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen. Mike Garafolo of NFL Network is reporting that the Cleveland Browns have joined the Arizona Cardinals in requesting to interview Bullen for the coordinator job.
Bullen, Giants’ outside linebackers coach the past two seasons, took over as interim defensive coordinator the last five games after then-interim head coach Mike Kafka fired Shane Bowen.
Earlier this offseason, Bullen also drew interest from the Dallas Cowboys for their defensive coordinator role. The Cowboys hired former Philadelphia Eagles assistant Christian Parker for that job.
The Giants’ defense was far more aggressive and effective under Bullen than it had been with Bowen in charge.
For the season, the Giants allowed 25.8 points per game. In the final four games with Bullen in charge, the defense game up 18.0 points per game. For the season, the Giants allowed 359.5 yards per game. In the last three games, two of which the Giants won, they allowed an average of 252.3 yards. For the season, the Giants allowed 145.3 rushing yards per game. Under Bullen, that number was 116.8 per game. For the season, they allowed 5.3 yards per rushing attempt, last in the NFL. In the final three games under Bullen, they allowed 4.0 yards per attempt, tied for 10th.
The Browns are looking to replace Jim Schwartz. He resigned after Cleveland hired Todd Monken as head coach rather than giving him the job. Here is a look at the defensive coordinator candidates Monken has thus far showed interest in.
In Arizona, Los Angeles Rams passing game coordinator Aubrey Pleasant is also considered a defensive coordinator candidate.
Bullen, tight ends coach Tm Kelly, and Chad Hall, who moved from assistant quarterbacks coach to wide receivers coach, are the only holdovers from Brian Daboll’s staff who were kept by new coach John Harbaugh.
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