The Baltimore Ravens have requested to interview Kansas City Chiefs defensive line coach Joe Cullen for their defensive coordinator position.
Jesse Minter has landed the head coach position with the Baltimore Ravens, and he is getting busy with interviews for his coaching staff.
Per a report from NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Ravens have requested to interview Kansas City Chiefs defensive line coach Joe Cullen for defensive coordinator.
Cullen has plenty of familiarity with the Ravens and Minter, as he served as the defensive line coach from 2016 to 2020. During those seasons, Minter was also on staff as a defensive assistant and defensive backs coach.
Minter will be introduced as the Ravens' head coach on Thursday, and he will reveal then if he plans to call plays on defense. Considering his defensive prowess, it is believed that will be the case.
Despite calling plays, Minter will need a second-in-command on defense in the form of the team's new defensive coordinator. That could be Cullen, especially given the pair's connection during their time on the Ravens.
Cullen has over 30 years experience coaching, starting at the collegiate level in 1990. After serving as a defensive line coach for programs such as LSU, Indiana, and Illinois, he would land with the Detroit Lions in 2006.
Cullen remained with the Lions through 2008, going back to the collegiate level with Idaho State in 2009, and finally staying in the NFL from 2010 on. He remained a defensive line coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland Browns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Ravens, Jaguars again, and finally the Chiefs.
Minter needs to put together his coaching staff quickly due to the Ravens needing to switch gears for the Senior Bowl and then free agency. Free agency begins in March, and the coaching staff, along with general manager Eric DeCosta, needs to work in tandem to evaluate the current roster.
DeCosta stated that the team will take some big swings in free agency, and Minter will need to have his staff in place to give some recommendations. This is especially true for the defensive side of the ball, which is lacking in the secondary and pass rush departments.
With Nnamdi Madubuike presumably not returning to the game anytime soon, the Ravens need to figure out who to bring in, especially if the team retains Kyle Van Noy.
Cullen could be a coach who has his eyes on some specific pass rushers as well, making his hire even more important, should the Ravens go that route.