Kelvin

Sheppard

The Dolphins were the first team to interview Sheppard this coaching cycle. The first-year defensive coordinator saw his defense rank 22nd in points allowed and 18th in yards allowed in his first year at the helm, but the Lions again dealt with several injuries on the defensive side of the ball.

Sheppard’s unit played pretty well in his first season as defensive coordinator despite injuries hitting the unit hard. The Lions finished fifth in defensive DVOA and there was almost no dropoff from Aaron Glenn leaving for the Jets. Sheppard, 38, could be a name that picks up some more buzz before this hiring cycle is over.

Sheppard, a former linebacker during his eight-year playing career, has served under former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn for the previous four seasons as the linebackers coach in Detroit. He now gets the promotion to defensive coordinator after spending just four seasons as an NFL coach. He has large shoes to fill considering the successes brought forward from Glenn, but the franchise clearly sees something in the former standout player, enough so to give him his first shot at coordinator duties.

The 33-year-old ended his 107-game playing career with Detroit in 2018 and spent 2020 as the director of player development at LSU. He’s getting his feet wet in the coaching ranks and joins first-time coach Dan Campbell’s staff under first-time DC Aaron Glenn.

Sheppard appeared in all 16 games for the Giants last season, making 11 starts. The G-Men passed on re-signing Sheppard in free agency, and he couldn’t make the Bears’ 53-man roster after signing late in camp. Sheppard did little more than soak up snaps in 2016, struggling mightily.

Nick Barnett will likely play the weak side. Sheppard racked up 70 tackles in only nine starts as a third-round rookie and will be an IDP to target fairly early in 2012 drafts. He averaged over 6.5 tackles per start in 2011.

“He’s aggressive and he got better at his reads,” said Gailey. “He got a lot more comfortable playing every day and I think that he is going to be a good player as time goes on. I saw improvement each week in him.” Sheppard closed out the season with 70 tackles in 16 games and nine starts.

“I’ve got all the confidence in the world with Shep,” said Wannstedt. “To me he’s about what you’re looking for in a 4-3 middle linebacker. ... I think it’s going to fit his skills to a ‘T’. I think he’s going to be a very, very productive player for us.” Sheppard is going to be a player to target in IDP formats in 2012.

The Bills have identified last year’s third-rounder as a “nucleus” player on defense, after Sheppard racked up 61 tackles in the final nine games. He’s quite likely to be an every-down player and impact IDP contributor. The Bills’ starting weak-side backer is Nick Barnett, with Kirk Morrison currently at SAM.

Sheppard’s rookie season got off to a slow start in no small part because he pulled his hamstring in training camp after arriving roughly 20 pounds overweight. “He showed up in great shape [for OTAs],” said new DC Dave Wannstedt, “and his attitude is good and I think he’s excited about this scheme.”