Rob

Ryan

Ryan spent last year out of the league after coaching Washington’s linebackers in 2019. He’ll resurface with the Ravens, where his brother spent a decade as the defensive coordinator in the early 2000s. Baltimore also hired ex-Texans DC Anthony Weaver as its defensive line coach.

Ryan last coached in the NFL in 2016 as assistant head coach/defense on his brother Rex’s staff with the Bills. Prior to that, Ryan was the Saints’ defensive coordinator from 2013-2015, which was mostly a failure. Ryan has the “name”, but he’s long overseen some weak defenses. He’ll work closely with Reuben Foster and Zach Brown and may have some say in the defensive plan.

Ryan’s name first appeared on the Saints’ radar as a candidate earlier this week after he briefly flirted with the Rams. Ryan faces the tall task of turning around the league’s 32nd ranked defense. The Saints will transition to a 3-4 under Ryan, and will almost certainly have to revamp their front-seven personnel. Cameron Jordan and Akiem Hicks are building blocks on the defensive line.

Mort’s report is via “several NFL executives,” including an owner. Although Ryan’s flowing, silver locks are unusual for an NFL coach, we highly doubt it’s the reason he’s never risen to the ranks of head coach. The 2013 Saints are the first team Ryan’s coordinated to reach the playoffs, while he’s been with four clubs since 2008. Like his brother Rex, Rob is a strong defensive mind, but we expect him to be back as Sean Payton’s coordinator for 2014. He hasn’t been linked to any head-coaching vacancies.

Talk about an underwhelming candidate. Ryan has failed in his last several coaching stops, yet he seems to keep getting jobs. Before being the Bills’ assistant head coach last season, Ryan was the DC in New Orleans for three seasons, where the Saints were arguably the worst defense in history in 2015. The Redskins have also interviewed Gus Bradley and Mike Pettine for the job.

It appears Dennis Thurman will keep his job, but he will be a defensive coordinator in name only. This change was almost inevitable after Rex both hired his twin brother as an assistant and said he planned to fully install his scheme next season. Rob’s defenses have struggled wherever he has gone, but perhaps Buffalo’s talent and Rex’s guidance can help him coordinate a solid defense.

Ryan has failed in virtually all of his defensive coordinator stops, but his name has kept him as a somewhat hot name around the league. In Buffalo, Rob will reunite with his brother Rex to help try fixing a Bills defense that severely disappointed in 2015. The Bills are retaining DC Dennis Thurman.

Payton said any reports on Ryan’s future are just speculation, and he has not met with Ryan or GM Mickey Loomis at this point. Payton did say the team will not continue on the same course. The likely outcome is still Ryan losing his job, but the official announcement may not come until later in the week. New Orleans is on pace to give up the most passing touchdowns in league history.

The only thing surprising about this move is how long it took. Coach Sean Payton and Ryan have never gotten along, and Ryan’s defenses have woefully underperformed the last two seasons. New Orleans finished 31st in yards allowed last season, and they are dead last in both points allowed and yards allowed this year. The Saints are on pace to give up the most touchdown passes in NFL history. Ryan’s name will likely help him land another gig, but there is enough evidence to support the claim he is simply not a very good coordinator. Defensive assistant and former Raiders coach Dennis Allen will likely take over coordinator duties. It is a change which should have happened in January.

It was reported by FOX Sports’ Alex Marvez earlier Monday that Ryan had been fired, but coach Sean Payton denied it and said he’d yet to talk to anyone in the organization. That chat must have happened this afternoon, and the team decided to pull the plug on Rex Ryan’s twin brother. The Saints are dead last in yards allowed through 10 weeks. Ryan will likely get another shot elsewhere, but his coordinator days are probably over after multiple failed defenses over the years.