Haslett likely the next top candidate

Haslett likely the next top candidate
January 16
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
"Putting two and two together would lead one to believe that candidate No. 3 would be the one Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy would as his next defensive coordinator.

The No. 3 man, St. Louis interim coach Jim Haslett, became the frontrunner for the position after the second of the two top favorites, former Jacksonville defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, chose an offer from the New Orleans Saints on Thursday to be their defensive coordinator.

Williams told the New Orleans Times-Picayune that he liked the Saints' potential both on offense and defense.

"The biggest thing for me was the opportunity to coach someplace where they're scoring a lot of points on offense," Williams said. "I think that's a fantastic thing. And I think the defense has excellent potential to improve, and I know the organization has the right attitude to make that happen."

When McCarthy's search began, sources identified former San Francisco coach Mike Nolan and Williams as his top two candidates. Haslett would have been somewhere in the mix, but he was being considered for the Rams' head coaching position and wasn't considered available.

Where Haslett would have ranked with regard to the other two isn't known, but at this point he has presumably moved into the pole position after the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that he was told by owner Chip Rosenbloom and general manager Billy Devaney that he would not be the Rams' coach.

As logical a step as it would be for McCarthy to hire his old boss with the New Orleans Saints, an NFL source said Thursday that McCarthy intended to interview as many as three more candidates.

More than likely they'll be assistant coaches whose teams are currently out of the playoffs, but it's possible he will interview someone whose team is in the playoffs if available next week. No names were given and McCarthy has done his best to keep his contacts confidential.

Among those whom McCarthy might talk to are: New England special assistant Dom Capers, Carolina defensive backs coach Tim Lewis, Oakland linebackers coach Don Martindale, Tennessee assistant head coach Dave McGinnis, St. Louis defensive line coach Brian Baker, St. Louis defensive coordinator Rick Venturi and former New Orleans defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs."
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