Four Defensive Coordinator Candidates For The Dolphins
Sep 17, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel on the field after defeating the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Well, that was unexpected. The Miami Dolphins and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio have mutually agreed to part ways. Last offseason, the Dolphins gave Fangio a three year contract with an average annual salary of $4.5 million, a sizable amount for a defensive coordinator. Now, he’s heading to Philadelphia to become the Eagles new defensive coordinator
Prominent NFL agent Drew Rosenhaus, who represents several Dolphins players reported that “There were quite a few players on the team that didn’t necessarily get along with Fangio” adding that “It wasn’t a great relationship with many of the players. There were some guys that loved him, but there were quite a few that didn’t. It definitely wasn’t a unanimous positive relationship.”
Following the announcement of Fangio’s departure, Dolphins safety Jevon Holland posted a video to his Instagram of him kicking rocks. Jevon’s father, Robert Holland was more direct saying “Everybody loves the IPhone but nobody wants the IPhone #1. #Upgrade”. Rookie cornerback Cam Smith tweeted an unlocked lock emoji, and Smith’s tweet was quote tweeted by former Dolphins safety Trill Williams who gave his stamp of approval.
With Fangio now out of the fold, the Dolphins are in need of a new defensive coordinator. Fortunately for Miami, there are plenty of great defensive minds they could add to their staff in 2024. Here are the four defensive coordinator candidates the Dolphins should consider hiring.
Mike Vrabel (Former Titans HC)
Out of all the potential hires the Dolphins could make, this one would be the biggest. Mike Vrabel is a culture-setter who is going to be coveted by a lot of teams for their vacant head coaching positions, which is why he is the least likely to be hired on this list. That being said, there are only two more teams with head coaching vacancies – the Washington Commanders and Seattle Seahawks. If I were a betting man, then I would wager that the Commanders hire Lions OC Ben Johnson to be their new head coach. As for Seattle, I have no clue who they’ll hire, but Ravens DC Mike Macdonald is a name to keep an eye on to be the Seahawks next head coach. Should Vrabel fail to get a head coaching position this offseason, then Miami could be an attractive landing spot for him.
Chris Hewitt (Ravens Pass Game/Secondary)
I mentioned that Ravens DC Mike Macdonald is a head coaching candidate this hiring cycle, but he’s not the only Ravens coach who will be highly sought after. Chris Hewitt, a former NFL safety, is the Ravens pass game and secondary coach, and has nine years of experience leading Baltimore’s secondary. This season, the Ravens ranked 1st in the league in opponent passer rating allowed. From 2015-2022, Baltimore’s defense has ranked at or near the top of the NFL in several categories, including points allowed per game (second – 20.0), yards allowed per game (first – 324.7) and third-down conversion percentage (second – 35.9). Hewitt’s experience as a former NFL safety will help him understand what his players need to be successful, and that should bode especially well for young players like CB Cam Smith who was in Fangio’s doghouse last season not receiving much playing time despite injuries at the position.
Wink Martindale (Former Giants DC)
If the Dolphins want a proven and experienced defensive coordinator who has a penchant for blitzing at a high rate, then they should look no further than Wink Martindale. Wink served as the New York Giants defensive coordinator from 2022-2023 and helped improve the Giants defense which was a key reason why they reached the playoffs in 2022. Things unfurled a bit this season, with HC Brian Daboll and Martindale locked into a feud after Daboll fired outside linebackers coach Drew Wilkins and his younger brother Kevin who served as a defensive assistant. Martindale was especially close to the Wilkins brothers and upon hearing the news of their dismissal, Wink cussed out Daboll and left the facility. Martindale is still a good defensive coordinator, but he’s not the greatest communicator and he’s going to want full control over who the team hires underneath him. So there could be some coaching staff turnover if the Dolphins hire him.
Anthony Campanile (Dolphins LBs Coach)
If the Dolphins don’t want to risk losing anyone, they could hire from within and keep some level of continuity heading into 2024. Anthony Campanile is a name worth keeping an eye on. Campanile is known for his leadership qualities and intensity, and last season he was in the interview cycle with the Miami Dolphins and the New York Giants. In 2022, the Dolphins ranked 4th in the league in rushing yards allowed averaging 103.3 yards allowed per game in large part due to Campanile. In addition to serving as linebacker’s coach under Vic Fangio, Anthony also worked under Brian Flores who runs a completely different style of defense than Fangio does. Which means Anthony would bring a notable level of scheme versatility if the Phins promoted him to defensive coordinator.
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