Jeff Fisher is expected to fill out his coaching staff quickly now that he has accepted the job as the St. Louis Rams' head coach. Several names are being mentioned as possible hires. Peter King of SI.com reported on Friday that Fisher is expected to hire Gregg Williams as his defensive coordinator.
Williams is currently holds that same position with the New Orleans Saints. His contract there is up in February. Both Fisher and Williams are very familiar with each other. Williams brought his blitz-heavy approach to the Oilers/TItans from 1997 through 2000, while Fisher was the head coach.
For the Xs and Os inclined readers out there, Doug Farrar and Greg Cosell, the NFL Films guru, discussed Williams' approach on the Shutdown Podcast. The Saints blitzed more than any other team in the NFL this year. They also dropped eight men into coverage more than any other team. With two pure pass rushers like Chris Long and Robert Quinn on the roster, Williams could really have some fun with the Rams' defense in 2012.
Another name on Fisher's potential list, according to Jim Thomas, is Dave McGinnis, currently the senior assistant coach with the Titans. McGinnis came to the Titans in 2004 as the linebackers coach. He was promoted to assistant head coach the following year while keeping oversight of the linebackers. In his current role, he assists with the defensive staff as well as personnel duties, something to note with Fisher likely to have considerable say over personnel.