He\u2019s remained with Minnesota ever since, turning the defense into a top-three unit in total yards allowed per game while giving up the seventh-fewest points per game.<\/p>\n
Vance Joseph, Denver Broncos DC<\/p>\n
Joseph is already being linked<\/a> to the Cardinals this cycle as Arizona\u2019s first known head-coaching interview.<\/p>\n The Broncos defensive coordinator will reportedly interview with the franchise at some point this week while his current team is on a bye for locking up the AFC\u2019s top spot in the playoffs.<\/p>\n He spent four seasons in Arizona as the Cardinals DC under Kliff Kingsbury before being let go following 2022\u2019s collapse.<\/p>\n Joseph was, however, interviewed for the head-coaching vacancy left behind by Kingsbury before the team landed on Gannon.<\/p>\n He ended up taking the Broncos\u2019 DC job, where he\u2019s found success. It was a return to Denver for Joseph, who went 11-21 as a head coach from 2017-18 before his firing.<\/p>\n New head-coaching blood<\/p>\n Klint Kubiak, Seattle Seahawks OC<\/p>\n Kubiak is another name being linked to the Cardinals this hiring cycle but was making this list regardless given what he\u2019s done in Seattle.<\/p>\n And that\u2019s before looking at the season wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba has had and how Kubiak could potentially impact the trajectory of Arizona receivers Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson.<\/p>\n In his first year with the Seahawks, his unit was the eight-best offense while putting up the third-most points per game in the regular season.<\/p>\n As for Smith-Njigba, he paced the NFL in receiving yards (1,793), was fourth in receptions (119) and tied for sixth in touchdowns (10).<\/p>\n Kubiak clearly knew how to get his primary pass catcher the ball on a consistent basis.<\/p>\n Mike LaFleur, Los Angeles Rams OC<\/p>\n Anyone associated with Rams head coach Sean McVay or Packers head coach Matt LaFleur is likely going to be on someone\u2019s radar sooner than later.<\/p>\n That\u2019s where Mike LaFleur steps in.<\/p>\n Not only does he share the last name of one of them, he also shares the sideline with the other as Rams offensive coordinator.<\/p>\n Since 2023, the Rams have rolled out a top-10 offense, highlighted by league-leading marks in total yards (402.2), passing yards (268.1) and points (30.5) per game this past season.<\/p>\n But how much of that success comes from quarterback Matthew Stafford and McVay?<\/p>\n Jeff Hafley, Green Bay Packers DC<\/p>\n Hafley, 46, has spent the past two seasons with the Packers.<\/p>\n His defense was just outside the top 10 in both total yards and points allowed but did produce a top-five unit in both metrics the year prior.<\/p>\n And while he doesn\u2019t have NFL head-coaching experience, Hafley was the lead man at Boston College from 2020-23. He posted a 22-26 mark across that span.<\/p>\n Been there before<\/p>\n Robert Saleh, San Francisco 49ers DC<\/p>\n Another connection to the Cardinals\u2019 search this offseason, Saleh knows the division well having worked for both the Seahawks (2011-13) and 49ers (2017-2020, 2025) throughout his career.<\/p>\n And while his 20-36 mark as the New York Jets\u2019 head coach was less than stellar, Saleh gained plenty of experience in the role.<\/p>\n John Harbaugh, former Baltimore Ravens head coach<\/p>\n Harbaugh was squarely in the what-if category when compiling this list. Funny how things change during the hiring cycle!<\/p>\n
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