The NY Giants are looking for a defensive coordinator to replace Perry Fewell and Raheem Morris is a name that has emerged along with Steve Spagnuolo, Pepper Johnson, Mike Smith, Mike Nolan, Dennis Allen, Jim Schwartz and Vic Fangio to help revamp the defense into 2015 and this comes as names like Landon Collins, Shaq Thompson and Vic Beasley are potential draft targets for New York.
The Giants decided to part ways with Fewell after a long run and one Super Bowl championship, but after the performance of the defense last season, changes needed to be made. When it was confirmed that Tom Coughlin would return to the team in 2015, both Coughlin and John Mara said that the entire staff would be evaluated and it appeared that Fewell would be safe. Clearly the team felt it was time for a change and now reports have Morris coming in for an interview.
According to ESPN.com, Adam Schefter reports that the Washington Redskins have granted the Giants permission to speak with Raheem Morris about their open defensive coordinator position. The report says that Morris will interview with the team on Friday and he comes in after working with the Redskins as the defensive backs coach in 2014. Morris has head coaching experience with the Buccaneers and while that did not work out overall, he did some good things with the defense and was well-liked by the players.
The Giants defense performed well over the last few weeks of the season, but overall it was not a good season on the defensive side of the ball. The team ranked fourth worst in the NFL in yards allowed per game and they were ranked 30th in rushing yards allowed per game and 18th in passing yards allowed per game. Spagnuolo is with the Ravens and previously was defensive coordinator when the Giants won the Super Bowl over the Patriots after the 2007 season.
Other names that have been mentioned include Dennis Allen, Mike Smith, Fangio, Nilan and Jim Schwartz as well as Pepper Johnson, who previously played for the team. The Daily News in New York writes that Johnson has lobbied for a chance at the job and he comes in after doing a strong job as Bills defensive line coach this season. Johnson has worked with the Patriots in the past for over a decade and he could be an option despite not having coordinator experience.
The Giants went 6-10 last season and they are looking to bounce back after missing the playoffs for three straight seasons. Schwartz had a strong season with the Bills, but they have him under contract, while Mike Smith and Allen were both fired from head coaching jobs from this past season. Fangio could be an option with the 49ers, while Spagnuolo obviously will get the fan vote.
The Giants have a top 10 pick this season and Big Blue View at SB Nation put together some of the early mock draft options from around the internet. Landon Collins from Alabama just declared and he could be a target at safety, while Shaq Thompson, Dante Fowler, DeVante Parker and Brandon Scherff have also been mentioned as potential options.
