5 most likely candidates to be the Tennessee Titans next Defensive Coordinator
By Will Lomas
3. John Butler, Bills DB coach
Since joining the Buffalo Bills coaching staff in 2018, the defensive backs have looked great in Buffalo and Tre’Davious White, Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde specifically have done an outstanding job on defense.
Over that same three-year span, the Bills have finished every season in the top-12 of DVOA on defense (2nd, 6th, and 12th), and they have been able to adapt and evolve as the season has gone on thanks to good coaching.
Going back further than that, during his time in Houston with Vrabel (2014-2017), he helped polish UDFA A.J. Bouye into one of the best young cornerbacks in the NFL. Also (cover your eyes Titans fans), he got really good years out of veterans Johnathan Joseph and Kareem Jackson.
He is an older coach, but he has spent time coaching special teams, linebackers, and the secondary at the college and NFL level. I don’t think this would be considered an “inspiring” hire or anything like that because I don’t know how high his upside is. However, I think that this is a candidate who would have experience coaching multiple position groups and having a lot of success along the way.
Having an older DC with a depth of knowledge is something that has worked out really well for guys like Kevin Byard and Kenny Vaccaro in the past, and if this hire would get Byard back on track while also boosting the cornerback position (his specialty) then this would be a welcomed move.