The Arizona Cardinals have reportedly requested to interview the assistant head coach of the Los Angeles Rams, Aubrey Pleasant, for their open defensive coordinator position.
With the Cardinals just hiring Mike LaFleur from L.A. as their head coach, it’s pretty easy to speculate that LaFleur has a genuine interest in recruiting Pleasant, and it’s not just to pick his brain.
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Pleasant joined the Rams all the way back in 2017 for Sean McVay’s first year as L.A.’s head coach. He had some success with the Rams as their defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator before going to the Detroit Lions for the 2021 season as their passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach.
Detroit did eventually move on from Pleasant who then found himself with the Green Bay Packers in 2022 as an offensive consultant, and then he was back with the Rams by 2023 eventually becoming their assistant head coach.
Before his first stint in LA, he’d also spent time with the Cleveland Browns and the now called Washington Commanders (they had a different name when was Pleasant was on the squad), and in this last preseason (his second stint with L.A.), he led the Rams to a win over the Los Angeles Chargers as McVay gave Pleasant the head coaching reins for a game.
Pleasant has no shortage of experience at the NFL level and it’s clear to see why LaFleur would give serious consideration to Pleasant as his defense coordinator in his first year in Arizona.
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This is a developing story and whether Pleasant takes the job or not, and whether or not the Rams will need to fill his position will be worth monitoring.