After a surprising 5-11 season which ended on a very high note for the Miami Dolphins the coaching staff shake-up may be continuing and this one is a surprise. Offensive coordinator Chad O’Shea was fired immediately after the season by head coach Brian Flores and now the NY Giants and their new head coach Joe Judge have requested permission to speak with Dolphins Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham for the open Giants defensive coordinator position. Per Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network the Dolphins are expected to grant permission for Graham to take the interview.
The #Giants have requested permission to interview #Dolphins defensive coordinator Patrick Graham for their DC role, sources tell me and @RapSheet. Expectation is it’ll be granted. Graham, who was in NE with Joe Judge, was with NYG in 2016-17.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 11, 2020
Because Graham is under contract to Miami and because this would be a lateral move the Dolphins would have to approve Graham taking the interview. And if Graham takes the interview expectation is he is leaving Miami and will take the job. Because if you take this interview you are telling your current employer you aren’t happy and want out and are willing to leave for a lateral position. So, Graham if he does meet with the Giants, which is expected, will most likely be gone from Miami.
I knew this Joe Judge was gonna try and raid Miamis staff. I didnt think Patrick Graham though would be a target
— DolphinsTalk.com (@DolphinsTalk) January 12, 2020
To me this news is very surprising to see Brian Flores allow permission for Graham to take this interview and essentially give him the OK to leave. On one hand if Graham doesn’t want to be in Miami and isn’t happy in Miami, then you don’t want him around. On the other hand the Dolphins defense in 2019 surpassed all expectations and you don’t want to lose a coordinator who was building something here and start competently over on that side of the ball. And to see Miami needing to replace their offensive coordinator and now most likely their defense coordinator was not expected and I think is catching many in NFL circles off guard. If the Dolphins look to promote from within keep an eye on current Defensive Line Coach Marion Hobby who was a defensive coordinator at Duke and a co-defensive coordinator at Clemson. Or cornerbacks coach Josh Boyer who was with Flores in New England from 2006 on and then came to Miami when Flores was hired by the Dolphins. If the Dolphins look outside for a defensive coordinator a big fish is out there with a proven track record and could Miami look to make a play for Wade Phillips who was just recently let go by the LA Rams?
Flores runs the defense anyway, who wrote this?