Bengals Request Interview With Aaron Glenn
Aaron Glenn is in the running for the Bengals’ defensive coordinator job. On Thursday, the Bengals requested an interview with the Saints secondary coach, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). 
Glenn caught the Bengals’ eye earlier this month after deals with Jack Del Rio and Dom Capers went south. Glenn lacks the previous DC experience of Del Rio and Capers, but he is a highly respected coach with recent playing experience.
Glenn played for the Jets, Texans, Cowboys, Jaguars, and Saints over the course of his 15-year career, which ended in 2008. In 2012, he hooked on with the Jets as a personnel scout and later joined the Browns as their assistant DB coach. The Saints brought him on board as the top DB coach in 2016 and he may now have a chance to vault up the coaching ladder.
The Saints’ secondary has lacked talent in recent years, but Glenn has been lauded for developing the younger players in his group.
Todd Grantham Turns Down Bengals
Todd Grantham opted to stay at the University of Florida instead of pursuing the Bengals’ defensive coordinator job, according to Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). Grantham is intrigued by the possibility of returning to the NFL, but he’s apparently not interested in the Bengals job this year.
After Grantham oped to stick with Dan Mullen & Co., the Bengals are in familiar, yet uncomfortable territory. Over the last several weeks, the Bengals have been on the precipice of deals with several established DCs only to watch things fall apart. Jack Del Rio and Dom Capers both seemed close to signing at different points, but things went sideways in both pursuits. You can add Grantham to that list, leaving the Bengals to scan for a Plan D.
Before the club’s second meeting with Grantham on Wednesday, the Bengals also showed interest in Rams cornerbacks coach Aubrey Pleasant and other younger candidates.
Bengals Zeroing In On Todd Grantham
The Bengals have narrowed their defensive coordinator search to focus on University of Florida DC Todd Grantham, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Grantham returned to meet with the Bengals on Wednesday morning, but they still have their work cut out for them as they try to lure him away from UF, Rapoport reports. 
Grantham reportedly made $1.4MM last year with the Gators, so the Bengals will have to come with a competitive offer to lure him away from one of the nation’s top college programs. Still, the Bengals job clearly holds appeal for Grantham. With Cincinnati, Grantham can return to the NFL with a step up from his previous defensive line coach duties. He’ll also have a great degree of control over the defensive as new head coach Zac Taylor will be focused on the offense.
Over the last week or so, the Bengals have also looked into Rams cornerbacks coach Aubrey Pleasant, former Falcons defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel, Texas A&M DC Mike Elko, and Saints defensive backs coach Aaron Glenn for the role. Prior to that, the Bengals seemed close on deals with established vets Dom Capers and Jack Del Rio.
Bengals To Interview Todd Grantham
The Bengals are set to interview Todd Grantham for their defensive coordinator vacancy, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Grantham has been on the team’s radar in recent days after potential deals with Dom Capers and Jack Del Rio went sideways.
The Bengals also recently received permission to interview Rams cornerbacks coach Aubrey Pleasant, so their DC search is moving along. Former Falcons defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel, Texas A&M DC Mike Elko, and Saints defensive backs coach Aaron Glenn are also said to be on the radar.
Grantham, 52, offers more experience than the Bengals’ other candidates. He served as the defensive coordinator of the Browns from 2005-07 before heading to the college ranks with stops at Louisville and UF. In the past, he’s also served as a defensive line coach for the Cowboys, Texans, and Colts.
Grantham reportedly made $1.4MM last year with the Gators, so the Bengals will have to come with a competitive offer if they want him on the sideline.
Bengals Hire High School Coach To Staff
- The Bengals looked to the local high school ranks for a staffer, hiring Cincinnati Moeller head coach Doug Rosfield to become the assistant to Zac Taylor, per Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Rosfield spent 11 total seasons at Moeller. In between those stays, he worked as the University of Cincinnati’s director of player development for three years.
Bengals Claim QB Brad Kaaya
The Bengals will bring in some additional Andy Dalton insurance. They added Brad Kaaya via waiver claim on Monday, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.
The Colts waived Kaaya on Friday. He lands in a spot with more potential upward mobility and with a revamped coaching staff.
Cincinnati opted not to bring in a veteran backup to replace A.J. McCarron last year, and when Dalton went down last season, former sixth-round pick Jeff Driskel finished the season as the Bengals’ starter. Driskel’s 176 career pass attempts are 176 more than Kaaya has attempted.
But new Bengals HC Zac Taylor will attempt to see what Kaaya can do. New Bengals quarterbacks coach Brian Callahan likely played a role here; he was Kaaya’s position coach with the Lions in 2017.
A 2017 sixth-round pick, Kaaya will head to a fourth NFL city. The Lions, Panthers and Colts have cut ties with the former Miami quarterback who was once viewed as a possible first-round pick. Inconsistency dropped him to a Day 3 prospect.
Bengals Granted Permission To Interview Aubrey Pleasant
The Bengals requested permission to interview Rams cornerbacks coach Aubrey Pleasant for defensive coordinator last week, and Cincinnati has now been granted that opportunity, according to Vincent Bosnignore of the Los Angeles Daily News (Twitter link). Pleasant, regarded as a rising star in the coaching ranks, worked for the Browns and Redskins before joining Los Angeles in 2017. The Bengals’ DC job is the only vacant coordinator position remaining in the NFL, and a number of candidates (Dom Capers, Jack Del Rio, Dennis Allen) have bowed out of the running to become a top aide to head coach Zac Taylor. Other coaches who have been linked to the job include Saints linebackers coach Mike Nolan, former Falcons defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel, Texas A&M DC Mike Elko, Florida DC Todd Grantham, and Saints defensive backs coach Aaron Glenn.
Bengals To Hire Jemal Singleton As RBs Coach
- The Bengals will hire Jemal Singleton as their running backs coach, per Jeremy Rauch of Fox 19 (via Twitter). Singleton previously served in the same capacity with the Colts from 2016-17 and with the Raiders in 2018.
Bengals Cast Wide Net In DC Search
The Bengals are casting a wide net in their search for a defensive coordinator and other defensive staffers, as Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. The club is expected to request (or has requested) interviews with former Falcons defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel, Texas A&M DC Mike Elko, Florida DC Todd Grantham, and Saints defensive backs coach Aaron Glenn.
The Bengals made an offer to veteran coach Dom Capers this week, but he turned them down and is now believed to be Miami-bound. Capers, 68, would have given the Bengals a Rams replica of sorts as he would have supported 33-year-old head coach Zac Taylor. The Bengals also flirted with former Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio, an indication they would prefer a veteran counterweight to Taylor.
Outside of Grantham, however, the coaches they’re now considering are on the younger side of 50. That could indicate a change in philosophy for Cincinnati. Or, it could be a case of the old adage – beggars can’t be choosers.
As previously reported, the Bengals also requested an interview with Rams DB coach Aubrey Pleasant.
Dom Capers Declines Bengals DC Job
Dom Capers has turned down the chance to become the Bengals’ defensive coordinator under new head coach Zac Taylor, according to Alex Marvez of SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link). Capers’ likeliest destination is now the Dolphins, where he’d serve as a senior defensive assistant, while the Jaguars are also a possible landing spot, per Marvez.
At age 68, Capers is 33 years old than Taylor, and like the other defensive coordinator candidates linked to the Bengals’ DC job, he’d bring a wealth of experience. Not only has Capers served as a defensive coordinator for multiple clubs, but he’s been a head coach at two stops (Panthers, Texans), meaning he could presumably offer counsel to Taylor as he enters his first head coaching job.
Capers was one of six coaches who have been tied to the Bengals. Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen received an extension from New Orleans, while former Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio is no longer considering the job. Ex-Bears head coach John Fox and Saints linebackers coach Mike Nolan have been mentioned as candidates, while Cincinnati earlier tonight requested an interview with Rams cornerbacks coach Aubrey Pleasant.
Capers was thought to be a candidate for the Cardinals defensive coordinator job under Kliff Kingsbury, but that position ultimately went to former Broncos head coach Vance Joseph. If he joins Miami, Capers would advise a first-time head coach in Brian Flores and a rookie defensive coordinator in Patrick Graham. In Jacksonville, Capers would join a relatively established staff lead by head coach Doug Marrone and DC Todd Wash.