LAS VEGAS — The search continues.
The Giants wanted to have a new defensive coordinator in place by the end of last week, but that didn’t happen.
Instead of finding a replacement for Wink Martindale, the Giants are actually adding him to their list of candidates.
Head coach Brian Daboll interviewed Vikings defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator Dalonte Jones last week at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, the newspaper confirmed.
This is the eighth known candidate for the defensive coordinator role, a key position on Daboll’s offensive-minded staff.
Jones, 45, served as the varsity defensive coordinator at the Senior Bowl.
Notably, Giants quarterbacks coach Shay Tierney was the national team’s offensive coordinator.
Jones played cornerback at Temple and then at Morgan State, where he began his coaching career in 2001.
He entered the NFL with the Dolphins in 2016.
He has also worked with the Bengals, with his first stint with the Vikings coming in 2020 on Mike Zimmer’s staff.
He left the league to become LSU’s defensive backs coach, but only spent the 2021 season with a brief stint in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, working on Ed Orgeron’s staff.
When Brian Kelly took over in 2022, he didn’t retain Jones, and new Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell brought Jones in as defensive backs coach, with defensive passing game coordinator in his job description as one of his top assistants. added. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
Jones has never been a defensive coordinator in the NFL.
Daboll interviewed former Ravens defensive backs coach Denard Wilson twice, but Wilson was traded to the Titans.
The Giants’ only interview subject with the team still playing is Chiefs linebackers coach Brendan Daly, who won’t be available for hire until after the 2024 Super Bowl.
Bills linebackers coach Bobby Babich met with Daboll, who was promoted to the role of defensive coordinator by the Bills.
Former NFL defensive coordinators Shane Bowen (Titans) and Derrick Ansley (Chargers) also met with Daboll, as did Dolphins linebackers coach Anthony Campanile.
The Giants wanted to talk to Ejiro Ebello, but new Panthers head coach Dave Canales brought Ebello back as defensive coordinator.
