The Kansas City Chiefs coaching staff is currently undergoing a number of changes, but the vast majority of them have come on the offensive side of the ball (as expected). However, further alterations could be coming via departures to other teams on the defensive side.
NFL reporter Adam Schefter has word that the Baltimore Ravens are interested in potentially making Joe Cullen their next defensive coordinator. They've sent a request to the Chiefs for an interview, which would make him the defensive right hand of new head coach Jesse Minter.
Minter is the former defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Chargers and a right hand to Jim Harbaugh, going back to their days at the University of Michigan together. Minter was recently hired by Baltimore as their new head coach after letting John Harbaugh go following 18 seasons running the team.
Bringing in Cullen makes a lot of sense for Baltimore for several reasons, the first of which being his strong reputation and body of work as a defensive line coach and former coordinator who has been around the league for a long time. Cullen has worked with Chris Jones and the Chiefs' defensive front in three Super Bowls, with two rings to his name.
Joe Cullen makes a lot of sense for the Ravens defensive coordinator opening for myriad reasons.
Secondly, there are very real connections for Cullen with an offer like this. Cullen was already a defensive line coach in Baltimore for five seasons under Harbaugh, giving him more history with the Ravens organization than the Chiefs as it is. Add in the fact that he and Minter were together on Harbaugh's staff from 2017-20 and you have an ideal voice to add to Minter's staff.
It's also worth noting that Minter is only 42 years old, and while the Ravens apparently trust his experience and expertise enough to run the ship, having a 58-year-old coordinator whose coaching days began in 1990 can only help a younger head coach getting his first start.
Cullen has already garnered a look from the Washington Commanders to serve as their defensive coordinator under Dan Quinn.
Cullen was part of the purge in Jacksonville following the 2021 season when Urban Meyer and the rest of his staff were let go by the Jaguars, which was his only experience in the NFL at the coordinator level. He previously served as a DC at the University of Indiana as well as Richmond at the collegiate level.
Should the Chiefs lose Cullen, it's possible that some internal shifting could fill the void. Linebackers coach Brendan Daly coached the defensive line before Cullen arrived, which could make him a candidate to move back. In addition, Matt House is a senior defensive assistant who has coached the team's linebackers before, meaning there would be an easy substitute for Daly already on hand at the position.