After parting ways with defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale, the Giants have started the process of finding a replacement. In a different search, though, New York continues to stick its nose in unwelcome places as they have once again been denied access to certain interview candidates, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
First, Titans defensive coordinator Shane Bowen is reportedly set to interview for the Giants open defensive coordinator position, according to Turron Davenport of ESPN. Bowen is also set to interview for the same position in Jacksonville. In New York, he will be competing with Ravens defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson, who interviewed with the team earlier today.
While Bowen technically is still employed in Nashville, the firing of Mike Vrabel leaves Bowen in a precarious position, as whoever eventually replaces Vrabel may not choose to retain him in Tennessee. After five years as an assistant with the Texans and Titans, Bowen got his first coordinator job in 2021. In his first season, Bowen impressed, with Tennessee finished as the sixth-best scoring defense and finishing 12th in yards allowed. The next two seasons saw mostly middling defenses in Tennessee.
New York has also been exerting efforts to fill their specials teams coordinator position after the firing of longtime coordinator Thomas McGaughey. The team was denied access by the Chargers to interview Ryan Ficken as well as being denied access to Marquice Williams by the Falcons. The Giants have now been denied thrice, as Schefter reports that the team’s attempt to interview Panthers interim head coach and special teams coordinator Chris Tabor has also been denied.
Tabor and Williams are both currently on captain-less ships after the firings of Frank Reich and Arthur Smith, respectively. Still, Panthers owner David Tepper has shown continuous support for Tabor, encouraging head coaching candidates last year to retain him on the staff. Similarly, though the Falcons have yet to name Smith’s replacement, the team seems to believe that Williams will still have a role moving forward. The Giants will have to continue searching for worthy replacements for McGaughey.
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