By HCR Staff | Oct. 2, 2019
- Aaron Glenn, secondary, Saints — There already are whispers that former player Glenn is a potential head coaching candidate down the road. He has done a masterful job over the last few years remaking the Saints secondary. The new Saints secondary made big plays against the Cowboys, and Glenn is a key component of its success.
- Steve Belichick, secondary, Patriots — Steve Belichick will always be noticed for his last name, but now it is time to start recognizing him for his own talents. It surely cannot be easy coaching under your father, but Belichick has managed to help mold the Patriots secondary into, arguably, the NFL’s most elite unit. They simply dominate games now, and Belichick is a big reason why. Players such as undrafted free agent J.C. Jackson are developing well under his watch, and Steve Belichick has his name all over their success.
- Chuck Pagano, defensive coordinator, Bears — He walked into a new job with very high expectations, as well as a unit quite attached to former DC Vic Fangio. Nevertheless, Pagano has the Bears defense playing at an even higher level than perhaps even Fangio. We know that hiring young offensive assistants as head coaches is all the rage these days, but if the Bears continue to have defensive success, we expect to see Pagano’s name pop up at the end of the season for any vacancies.
- Kevin Garver, wide receivers, Buccaneers — Coaching wide receivers is one of the most difficult coaching positions in the NFL, but Garver has this unit playing as well as any in the NFL. Chris Godwin is playing like a first-team Pro Bowler, and veteran Mike Evans continues to dominate games at times. Justin Watson is becoming a promising young player that Garver is developing. The Rams’ quality, veteran secondary had trouble all day with the Bucs’ receivers, and Garver deserves notice.