The Denver Broncos have requested to interview Baltimore Ravens‘ defensive line coach and run game coordinator Anthony Weaver for defensive coordinator, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN on Saturday, January 29.
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Weaver Was a Candidate for the Ravens’ Defensive Coordinator Position
Before he was a coach, Weaver spent seven seasons as a defensive end in the NFL. The Ravens drafted him in the second round of the 2002 NFL draft.
In four seasons in Baltimore, he recorded 14.5 sacks and 144 combined tackles. Then, he played three seasons with the Houston Texans.
Prior to becoming the Ravens’ defensive line coach, Weaver was a defensive line coach for the Texans from 2016 to 2019, and he was the team’s defensive coordinator for the 2020 season. In the past, he also served as a defensive line coach for the Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns.
Weaver also interviewed for the Ravens’ open defensive coordinator position, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.
Weaver ultimately did not get the job, as the Ravens hired University of Michigan assistant coach Mike Macdonald. Still, the fact that Weaver was considered demonstrates how highly the Ravens value him.
Defensive end Derek Wolfe called him one of the best coaches that he has ever been around.
The Ravens’ defense is coming off a rough season. They gave up the most passing yards in the entire NFL this season.
It is hard to place too much blame on the Ravens’ coaching staff. An astonishing amount of key players suffered injuries.
The following players were all placed on the IR at some point: cornerback Marcus Peters, cornerback Marlon Humphrey, cornerback Khalil Dorsey, safety DeShon Elliott, defensive end Derek Wolfe, linebacker L.J. Fort, and linebacker Otaro Alaka.
That is difficult for any coaching staff to overcome. Ultimately, the coaching staff did take some of the blame, as the Ravens did fire defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale on January 21.
A Quick Look at the Broncos’ Other Candidates for Defensive Coordinator
On January 27, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported Los Angeles Rams’ secondary coach and pass game coordinator Ejiro Evero is the Broncos’ leading candidate for defensive coordinator.
Evero has an extensive coaching history. He was the defensive quality control coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2007 to 2009. Then, he was with the San Francisco 49ers from 2010 to 2015 in a variety of roles. Evero served as the defensive quality control coach for the Green Bay Packers in 2016.
Evero is currently with the Rams; he was hired by the organization in 2017.
The Broncos’ current defensive coordinator is Ed Donatell, and he is, technically, still under contract. So, he cannot be ruled out as a candidate.
The Broncos enjoyed some success on the defensive side of the ball with Donatell as their defensive coordinator. They allowed the third-fewest points in the league this season.
Donatell has been the Broncos’ defensive coordinator since 2019. In the past, Donatell was the defensive coordinator for the Packers, Atlanta Falcons, and the Washington Football Team.
Broncos Request to Interview Ravens Assistant for Defensive Coordinator: Report