Cardinals begin search for Todd Bowles' replacement
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Todd Bowles' departure was a matter of when, not if. The Cardinals defensive coordinator had been a hot commodity in coaching searches after his first year on the job, and the statistical drops in his unit's performance this season didn't douse that fire because the unit overachieved in the face of multiple injuries.
"We've been talking about him leaving since Week 1," linebacker Larry Foote said. "We were trying to play it off, pretending like it might not happen, but it happens in this league. There's always going to be change. There's no team that's going to be 100 percent the same from the previous year, so we just have to enjoy the time that we had together."
That time is over for Bowles, who accepted the Jets head coaching position late Tuesday. Now the Cardinals must find a replacement, and possibly fill other positions as well.
When asked during the season how many assistants Bowles might be allowed to take with him if he left, coach Bruce Arians smiled and said "none," but Arians has made it clear he won't stand in the way of his assistants getting opportunities. He didn't get his first head-coaching gig until he was 60. He understands how important and how rare opportunities are in this business. He also said previously that everybody could be replaced.
"There are enough people available, and we have guys who are more than capable of filling (Bowles' job)," Arians said.
Inside linebackers coach Mike Caldwell could leave to become Bowles' defensive coordinator in New York or take another position, and Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic reported that defensive assistant Ryan Slowik could join Bowles as well
It's hard to pinpoint a possible replacement for Bowles. Former Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau is one possibility. He and Arians have reportedly discussed reuniting after spending six seasons together with the Steelers. LeBeau made it clear that he was resigning, not retiring, when he left the Steelers earlier this week.
"I had a great run in Pittsburgh. I'm grateful for all the things that have happened to me and thankful for all the support I had in Pittsburgh," he told the Urbana Daily Citizen. "It's just time to take a break."
Dick LeBeau, 77, was Pittsburgh's defensive coordinator for the past 11 seasons.
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If LeBeau, 77, does join the staff, the Cardinals would have three assistants over the age of 70. Assistant head coach Tom Moore is 76, and pass rush specialist Tom Pratt is 78. Arians is 62. Assistant offensive line coach Larry Zierlein will also turn 70 in July.
Whomever the Cardinal choose, that coach will likely possess some of the same traits as Bowles. Chief among those is the ability to teach -- a trait Arians has repeatedly emphasized, and a trait that all of Bowles' players recognized in him.
"He's one of those minds who just knows it," Foote said. "He teaches you how to study and what's coming. Only a former player who played in this league at a high level can create that and give you that type of information."
Under Bowles, the Cardinals defense was ranked sixth overall and No. 1 against the run in 2013. This season, despite the season-long absences of linebacker Daryl Washington (suspension), defensive tackle Darnell Dockett (ACL tear), linebacker John Abraham (concussions) and partial-season absences of safety Tyrann Mathieu (knee), defensive end Calais Campbell (knee) and linebacker Matt Shaughnessy (knee), the Cardinals still finished fifth in the league in points allowed per game (18.7).
They also remained as aggressive as any unit in the league. In Bowles' two seasons, the Cardinals' blitz rate was 46.5 percent in that period.
"Coach Bowles is well-deserving of a head coaching job," cornerback Antonio Cromartie said after the season. "He's a smart guy. He makes adjustment to put guys in places to succeed and everyone in here respects him."