The Arizona Cardinals brought in Vance Joseph as defensive coordinator and have filled the roster and the coaching staff with players and coaches who have connections to him. Ideally, this will lead to a quicker transition and greater success earlier in the season.
In all, there are five players and six coaches who have worked with Joseph before.
S D.J. Swearinger
Swearinger was acquired before the Cardinals hired Joseph but they know each other from their days with the Houston Texans. Joseph was defensive backs coach for the Texans from 2011-2013. Swearinger was a rookie under Joseph in 2013.
CB Tramaine Brock
Joseph has coached Brock on two teams. When he was defensive backs coach for the San Francisco 49ers, Brock was drafted in 2010. Joseph’s last year with the Niners was Brock’s rookie year. They were reunited last year in Denver, where Joseph was the head coach.
OLB Brooks Reed
Reed and Joseph go back to the Houston Texans. Reed played for the Texans from 2011-2014 in Wade Phillips’ defense. Joseph was a defensive backs coach from 2011-2013 but the Cardinals have the same defense now the Texans had.
CB Josh Shaw
Shaw signed with the Cardinals this offseason. He knows Joseph from their days with the Cincinnati Bengals. Joseph coached defensive backs for Cincinnati in 2014-2015. Shaw was a rookie defensive back in 2015.
DL Terrell McClain
McClain, the latest Cardinals signing, played for the Houston Texans in 2012 and 2013, when Joseph was defensive backs coach.
Linebackers coach Billy Davis
Davis spent time with Joseph in 2005-2006 with the San Francisco 49ers. Davis was defensive coordinator and Joseph was first an assistant defensive backs coach then defensive backs coach.
Assistant linebackers coach Charlie Bullen
Bullen held the same position he does now for the Miami Dolphins from 2016-2018. Joseph was his defensive coordinator in 2016.
Defensive quality control coach Rob Grosso
Grosso was Joseph’s assistant to the head coach last season when both were with the Denver Broncos.
Defensive assistant Rusty McKinney
McKinney was part of Joseph’s defensive staff in 2016 with the Miami Dolphins. He was defensive quality control coach then.
Defensive backs coach Marcus Robertson
Robertson was defensive backs coach for the Denver Broncos in 2017-2018 when Joseph was head coach.
Cornerbacks coach Greg Williams
Williams was on Joseph’s defensive staff in Denver coaching defensive backs with Robertson.
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