Ravens

Defense

For now, two of Buddy Ryan’s sons will be coordinators in the league. Rob Ryan’s job in Oakland is tenuous, though.

Sanders is an unrestricted free agent and the Baltimore Ravens have interest. Both Ray Lewis and Corey Fuller have been actively pursuing Sanders, who is a friend.

Mattison is tight with new Michigan head man Brady Hoke. The two coached together under Jim Harbaugh at Western Michigan as well as under Lloyd Carr at Michigan. Secondary coach Chuck Pagano, reportedly drawing consideration for the Raiders’ defensive coordinator job, would be the top candidate to replace Mattison if he leaves Baltimore.

DeCosta will not even interview with the Bears, Colts, or Rams. The Bears were considered the one job he would “strongly consider,” but DeCosta has strong family ties to the Baltimore area and a loyalty to GM Ozzie Newsome and owner Steve Bisciotti. His contract calls for him to eventually succeed Newsome as general manager.

The Ravens usually stay in-house with their defensive bosses because they’re smitten with their scheme. Pees has coordinator experience, having worked in the same role under Bill Belichick in New England from 2006 through 2009. The Ravens have a hole at the position after losing Chuck Pagano to the Colts.

The Ravens habitually promote from within at defensive coordinator, and it’s been a highly successful practice. Pees left the Patriots two years ago under a mysterious medical condition that turned out to be a bad reaction to the inhaler medication Albuterol. The Pats were the only team in the NFL to finish in the top 10 in scoring defense over Pees’ four-year span as coordinator. His 2006 squad set the franchise record for points allowed. There’s no reason to suspect the Ravens will suffer a falloff on defense under Pees.

“I work with good people. We have a blast,” Newsome explained. “I don’t know how much longer. I want Super Bowls. Steve (Bisciotti) and I talk about two Super Bowls and three Super Bowls. Once I get to that point, I’ll start deciding.” The Ravens have personnel director Eric DeCosta under contract as “GM in waiting.”

NFL Network reported earlier in the day that DeCosta could be “enticed to bolt,” specifically for Chicago. DeCosta’s wife is from the Baltimore area, though, and he was handed an extension last offseason as Ozzie Newsome’s eventual successor. Execs tell Jensen that Marc Ross of the Giants, Will Lewis of the Seahawks, Les Snead of Falcons are prime candidates to replace Jerry Angelo in the Bears’ front office.

In addition to his stints as Rams head coach and defensive coordinator of the Giants and Saints, Spagnuolo coached linebackers in Philadelphia when John Harbaugh was the special teams coach. The two are close friends. Spagnuolo has coached in the NFL for 14 years. He’s be little more than a sounding board as senior assistant, while learning how Baltimore’s 3-4 defense operates.

Spagnuolo was hired as a senior defensive assistant prior to the 2013 season. He gets a bump up for 2014 and will see an increased role when it comes to game planning. Spags has a boatload of experience as a defensive backs coach. He and coach John Harbaugh are close friends from their Eagles days.