Newly hired Tennessee Titans head coach Robert Saleh is beginning to shape his staff as he takes a second stab at an NFL head coaching position.
Incumbent defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson was informed that he will not be a part of the former New York Jets coach’s staff, according to Paul Kuharsky.
Wilson, who coached New York’s defensive backs from 2017 to 2020, has unfortunately been let go by Saleh for the second time in his coaching career.
When Saleh took the Jets job in 2021, he had the option to retain Wilson on his staff and chose not to, and he’s doing the same thing now, five years later.
Robert Saleh’s Titans Staff Begins to Take Shape
In a continuing report from Kuharsky, Saleh isn’t just letting go of the former New York Jets coach.
“Robert Saleh’s staff started to take shape with the expected retention of John Fassel as special teams coordinator. At the same time I learned the first guy who won’t be back is defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson, who we expected wouldn’t be part of a new staff, especially if the new head coach was a defensive guy like Saleh is. Offensive coordinator Nick Holz has also been let go. Fassel is under contract through 2027,” reported Kuharsky.
While Saleh appears to have his special teams coordinator in place, both the offensive and defensive coordinator positions remain officially unfilled.
Defensively, it’s been widely reported that Saleh will call plays, something he didn’t do during his Jets tenure and reportedly regrets.
Not that the defensive coordinator position won’t be an important role under Saleh, but their responsibilities will likely focus more on gameplanning rather than in-game decision-making.
On the offensive side of the ball, former New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll is expected to be Saleh’s offensive coordinator, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.
That is, if he doesn’t land the Buffalo Bills‘ vacant head coaching position.
That means we could see two former New York head coaches get second lives in Tennessee, and at least in Saleh’s case, prove he has the chops to be a winning head coach.
It will be interesting to watch and see how he builds out the rest of his staff.
Where Will Dennard Wilson Land?
While the New York Jets are currently in the market for a new defensive coordinator, I don’t think Wilson will be on the short list to replace Steve Wilks on Aaron Glenn’s staff.
Under Wilson’s guidance the past two seasons, the Tennessee Titans haven’t exactly had the league’s best defense.
In 2024, they were below average, finishing 20th in Sumer Sports’ EPA/play in terms of defensive efficiency.
This past season, the Titans were even worse defensively, finishing the season as the 28th-worst defense.
He’ll likely end up on a defensive staff somewhere back in his former role, as a defensive backs coach or passing game specialist.
Maybe the Philadelphia Eagles, with whom Wilson worked with Nick Sirianni in 2021 and 2022.
They certainly have an opening on the staff thanks to the Dallas Cowboys’ poaching of Christian Parker from the Eagles on Thursday.
Just 34 years old, Parker spent the past two seasons as passing game coordinator/DBs coach under Vic Fangio with the Eagles. Now gets his first DC job in the NFC East.
Titans’ Robert Saleh Cuts Ties With Ex-Jets Coach for a Second Time