The Cincinnati Bengals have interest in interviewing New Orleans Saints linebackers coach Mike Nolan for their open defensive coordinator position, per a report from Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. Cincinnati previously considered meeting with Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen for the opening, but Allen elected to re-sign with New Orleans instead.
Nolan is one of three names connected to the Bengals job in Breer’s report, along with John Fox and Jack Del Rio. Del Rio previously met with Cincinnati but each party agreed that it was not a good fit.
It’s clear that first-year Bengals head coach Zac Taylor is following the model established by his previous boss, Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay. Each of the candidates Taylor has expressed interest in for defensive coordinator have experience as NFL head coaches — Nolan once held that position with the San Francisco 49ers. McVay was eager to pair himself with former Dallas Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips, giving himself access to someone who had seen it all before.
Because Nolan is just a position coach with the Saints, they can not block him from accepting this promotion with the Bengals if he chooses to accept it. But it would be difficult to see him opt for a rebuilding job when the team he’s already with is so close to Super Bowl contention. Nolan has done a terrific job revitalizing the Saints’ linebacker corps, and it would hurt to see him leave.
