Getty Patrick Graham spurned the Giants by bolting for the Las Vegas Raiders. Now, the team is eyeing Wink Martindale to possibly fill their defensive coordinator vacancy.
After Patrick Graham spurned the Giants on February 4 by bolting for the Las Vegas Raiders‘ defensive coordinator vacancy, New York immediately pivoted to plan B by setting up several interviews as they search for his replacement.
According to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, the Giants will conduct interviews with former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale and ex-Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Sean Desai this weekend.
As Rapoport went onto reveal, there are at least four additional candidates that have yet to be identified. Former Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer and ex-Denver Broncos head coach Vic Fangio are also available and have prior success as defensive coordinators in the NFL.
NFL Network insider Mike Garafolo called Martindale a “very strong candidate” for the position. And this should come as no surprise given several reports, which linked Giants head coach Brian Daboll to Martindale as early as last week.
Despite Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen’s desire to retain Graham as defensive coordinator, the Giants’ top assistant had other ideas and will ultimately join his old friend, Josh McDaniels, in Las Vegas. Graham spent the last two seasons as the Giants’ defensive coordinator, where his units ranked No. 12 and No. 21 during his tenure.
Paul Schwartz of The New York Post later reported that Daboll interviewed Steelers defensive assistant and secondary coach Teryl Austin for their defensive coordinator opening as well. Austin interviewed for the Giants’ head coaching vacancy in 2016, which went to Ben McAdoo.
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Prior History
For those who do not recall, Martindale has some prior history with the Giants’ organization.
No, he was not on the team’s coaching staff at any point in his career. But the 58-year-old did interview for the Giants’ head coaching vacancy during the 2019-2020 offseason. This job, of course, wound up going to Joe Judge, who was recently fired after just two seasons at the helm.
Now, the Giants are set to speak with Martindale once more, regarding their opening at defensive coordinator.
And with the exception of last season, where the Ravens’ defense ranked No. 25 in the NFL, as a result of a slew of injuries, Martindale’s units were No. 1, No. 4 and No. 7 in the league from 2018 to 2020.
However, that wasn’t enough to save his job in Baltimore. Now, the Giants have the opportunity to make one man’s trash, another man’s treasure.
Abrams Replaced
The Giants have a new assistant general manager.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Giants are hiring Philadelphia Eagles director of player personnel Brandon Brown as their assistant GM to Schoen.
Giants are hiring Eagles director of player personnel Brandon Brown as their Assistant GM, per sources. Eagles continue identifying and grooming young talent – Joe Douglas, Andrew Berry, Ian Cunningham, Patrick Stewart – that other teams recently promoted to high-ranking jobs.
Brown was promoted to director of player personnel with the Eagles in May of 2021 after spending two years as Philadelphia’s director of pro scouting. Philadelphia initially brought Brown over from the Colts to become their assistant director of pro scouting in May of 2017.
Brown joined the Colts’ scouting department in June of 2015 and was promoted to advance scout 11 months later. He remained in this role for one year, before landing with the Eagles.
Ironically, Brown played defensive back at Fordham University in the Bronx, New York and graduated in 2010. He later received a Juris Doctor degree from Barry University Law School in Orlando, Florida.
While studying at Barry University, Brown worked as an athletic compliance graduate assistant/football support at the University of Central Florida. He initially broke into the NFL as a pro personnel intern with the New York Jets in the summer of 2012.
Brown worked for Boston College as a football recruiting specialist from 2013 to 2014 and was their assistant director of player personnel from 2014 to 2015.
Schoen previously mentioned that he would be bringing in an assistant GM to replace Kevin Abrams, who served in this position with the Giants from 2002 to 2021. Abrams will stay with the Giants’ organization as senior vice president of football operations and strategy, per team announcement.