The Atlanta Falcons are looking for a new Defensive Coordinator, and as named begin to be tied to the Falcons earlier today The Morning Shift named two candidates for the Falcons DC job that they think would make a lot of sense for the Falcons to hire.
1. Steve Wilks
Steve Wilks is a very well respected coach and defensive coordinator, he led a very talented San Francisco 49ers defense to the Super Bowl, and not only does Wilks have experience as an NFL Defensive Coordinator, but he also has experience as an NFL Head Coach as he was the Arizona Cardinals’ Head Coach in 2018.
Wilks also spent some time at a few Falcons’ training camp practices before this past season got underway, so with that connection he has been heavily tied to the Falcons’ since the DC job has opened up. Mike Johnson says Wilks is a “great candidate”.
2. Jeff Ulbrich
However, Mike also believes the “easiest candidate to connect the dots to the Falcons” is former interim Defensive Coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. When Dan Qunn was fired and Raheem Morris became the interim Head Coach back in 2020, Morris made Ulbrich his DC, and now that Ulbrich is available with the very same spot open for the Falcons, with the very same Head Coach at the helm, only now the interim tag has been taken off, Raheem Morris making Jeff Ulbrich his defensive coordinator again would be an easy connection to make.
Ulbrich has had three top five defenses as a defensive coordinator, and for the Falcons, a team that has never had a top five defense, and have only had three top 10 defenses in the last 45 seasons, there shouldn’t be any doubt in the mind of the fan base that Ulbrich won’t at the very least be interviewed by Morris and the Falcons.
It’s safe to say the Falcons will cast a wide net in their search for their next Defensive Coordinator as they do for any and all of their open positions, but with their strong and recent connections to the Falcons Steve Wilks and Jeff Ulbrich are definitely two candidates that Falcons fans should keep their eyes on.
