HEADLINES

John Van Dam

2024 Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

February 9th, 2024 at 1:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

After a crowded carousel previously stopped, the 49ers opened their defensive coordinator position. Here is how the NFC champions’ search looks:

Updated 3-2-24 (10:00am CT)

Offensive Coordinators

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Dave Ragone)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Ken Dorsey)

  • Joe Brady, interim offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach (Bills): Hired
  • Thad Lewis, quarterbacks coach (Buccaneers): Interviewed

Carolina Panthers (Out: Thomas Brown)

  • Marcus Brady, senior offensive assistant (Eagles): Interview requested
  • Brad Idzik, wide receivers coach (Buccaneers): Hired

Chicago Bears (Out: Luke Getsy)

Cincinnati Bengals (Out: Brian Callahan)

  • Andy Dickerson, offensive line coach (Seahawks): To interview
  • Dan Pitcher, quarterbacks coach (Bengals): Promoted

Cleveland Browns (Out: Alex Van Pelt)

Las Vegas Raiders (Out: Mick Lombardi)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Kellen Moore)

New England Patriots (Out: Bill O’Brien)

New Orleans Saints (Out: Pete Carmichael)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Brian Johnson)

  • Jerrod Johnson, quarterbacks coach (Texans): Interviewed
  • Kliff Kingsbury, senior offensive analyst (USC): Interviewed 1/23
  • Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator (Chargers): Hired

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Matt Canada)

Seattle Seahawks (Out: Shane Waldron)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Dave Canales)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Tim Kelly)

  • Nick Holz, passing game coordinator (Jaguars): Hired
  • Thad Lewis, quarterbacks coach (Buccaneers): Interviewed
  • Eric Studesville, associate head coach/running backs coach (Dolphins): Interview requested

Washington Commanders (Out: Eric Bieniemy)

  • Chip Kelly, former head coach (Eagles/49ers): On team’s radar
  • Kliff Kingsbury, senior offensive analyst (USC): Hired

Defensive Coordinators

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Ryan Nielsen)

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Mike Macdonald)

  • Zach Orr, inside linebackers coach (Ravens): Promoted

Buffalo Bills

  • Bobby Babich, linebackers coach (Bills): Promoted
  • Mike Caldwell, former defensive coordinator (Jaguars): Interviewed
  • Sean Desai, former defensive coordinator (Eagles): To interview

Chicago Bears (Out: Alan Williams)

  • Joe Barry, former defensive coordinator (Packers): To interview 1/27
  • Chris Harris, secondary coach (Titans): To interview
  • Eric Washington, assistant head coach/defensive line coach (Bills): Hired
  • Terrell Williams, assistant head coach/defensive line coach (Titans): To interview

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Dan Quinn)

Green Bay Packers (Out: Joe Barry)

Jacksonville Jaguars (Out: Mike Caldwell)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Derrick Ansley)

  • Jesse Minter, defensive coordinator (Michigan): Hired

Los Angeles Rams (Out: Raheem Morris)

Miami Dolphins (Out: Vic Fangio)

New England Patriots

  • DeMarcus Covington, defensive line coach (Patriots): Promoted
  • Michael Hodges, linebackers coach (Saints): To interview
  • Tem Lukabu, outside linebackers coach (Panthers): To interview
  • Christian Parker, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Interviewed

New York Giants (Out: Don Martindale)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Sean Desai)

  • Mike Caldwell, former defensive coordinator (Jaguars): Interviewed
  • Vic Fangio, former defensive coordinator (Dolphins): Hired
  • Ron Rivera, former head coach (Commanders): Interviewed 1/22

San Francisco 49ers (Out: Steve Wilks)

  • Gerald Alexander, safeties coach (Raiders): Interviewed 3/1
  • Daniel Bullocks, defensive backs coach (49ers): Interviewed 2/28
  • David Merritt, defensive backs coach (Chiefs): To interview
  • Nick Sorensen, defensive passing game specialist (49ers): Promoted
  • Brandon Staley, former head coach (Chargers): Interviewed

Seattle Seahawks (Out: Clint Hurtt)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Shane Bowen)

  • Brandon Lynch, cornerbacks coach (Browns): Interviewed 1/30
  • Dennard Wilson, defensive backs coach (Ravens): Hired

Washington Commanders (Out: Jack Del Rio)

  • Joe Cullen, defensive line coach (Chiefs): Considered a candidate
  • Joe Whitt, defensive backs coach (Cowboys): Hired

Thad Lewis, John Van Dam To Interview For Bucs’ OC Job

January 31st, 2024 at 9:51am CST by Sam Robinson

9:51am: After the team lost a host of staffers on offense over the past few days, two in-house candidates for the play-calling post exist. The Bucs are also meeting with tight ends coach John Van Dam for the OC position, CBS Sports Jonathan Jones notes. This will be Van Dam’s first OC interview.

Van Dam has been with the Bucs longer than Lewis, arriving as an Arians hire back in 2019. The Bucs promoted Van Dam from the quality control level in 2021, making him assistant tight ends coach ahead of what turned out to be Rob Gronkowski‘s final season. Van Dam moved up to his current position in 2022, overseeing the development of draftees Cade Otton and Ko Kieft.

9:11am: A number of teams have reached out to Thad Lewis about an OC role. The young assistant’s current team is now part of that mix. Amid a widespread search to replace Dave Canales, the Buccaneers have circled back to Lewis.

Lewis’ interview for the Tampa Bay OC post will take place Wednesday, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. The Bucs, who employ Lewis as their quarterbacks coach, join the Bills, Bengals, Titans and Raiders as teams to have reached out to Lewis about their OC position.

When Canales-to-Carolina buzz began to intensify, Lewis came up as a natural candidate to take over. The former quarterback has been with the Bucs for the past three seasons, beginning as assistant wide receivers coach under Bruce Arians before being moved to work with QBs last year.

Although Lewis did not have a chance to coach Tom Brady, Baker Mayfield‘s 2023 showing has understandably generated interest here. The Bengals and Bills promoted candidates internally, while the Raiders and Titans are still looking. Lewis, 36, having just one season coaching QBs puts him on the lighter end in terms of ideal experience. But Mayfield bouncing back after a woeful 2022 in Carolina should give Lewis a quality platform toward being a serious candidate to move up the ladder in Tampa.

The Bucs have already lost three key staffers on offense, seeing Canales take wide receivers coach Brad Idzik, run-game coordinator Harold Goodwin and O-line coach Joe Gilbert with him to Charlotte. Lewis following Canales and his new Panthers assistants out the door would stand to drive a full-on reboot on that side of the ball. Seeing as Mayfield showed the form that once generated extension rumors in Cleveland, losing Lewis as well might be counterproductive for a Bucs team interested in a second contract with the quarterback.

Courtesy of PFR’s Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker, here is how the Bucs’ process looks as of Wednesday morning: