Haslett interviewed with McCarthy Monday and Tuesday
By Tom Silverstein of the Journal Sentinel
Jan. 13, 2009 6:39 p.m.
Green Bay -- St. Louis Rams interim coach Jim Haslett met with Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy and members of his staff on Monday and Tuesday, and has moved into position as a leading candidate to become McCarthy's new defensive coordinator.
Haslett arrived in Green Bay Monday night and had dinner with McCarthy and several members of his staff, and then completed a full interview Tuesday, according to a source familiar with the visit. Haslett remains a strong candidate in the race to become St. Louis' head coach, but if the Rams go in another direction, he will need a job.
Haslett was head coach of the New Orleans Saints when he hired McCarthy as his offensive coordinator in 2000 and the two worked together for five seasons. Haslett was St. Louis' defensive coordinator last year under Scott Linehan and then was elevated to interim head coach at mid-season after Linehan was fired.
McCarthy likes Haslett's aggressive style of defense, which includes a heavy amount of blitzing. It probably wouldn't take long for the two men to get on the same page on what kind of defense they want to run.
McCarthy is still waiting to hear from Gregg Williams, the former Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator, who interviewed with the coach last Friday. But Williams remains in a holding pattern, waiting to see if an opening occurs in Tennessee where he was once defensive coordinator.
Williams is still considering Green Bay, according to a source with connections to him. But he is also considering the New Orleans Saints, who are pushing hard to hire him.
Haslett flew to Green Bay Monday to meet face-to-face with McCarthy and get to know several members of McCarthy's staff. Packers vice president of football administration, Russ Ball, served in a similar position in New Orleans when Haslett was head coach and has as much familiarity with him as McCarthy.
Haslett and McCarthy had spoken a week or so ago about the job, and at that time it appeared Haslett had a very good chance of becoming Rams head coach. Haslett is still in the running, but the Rams are also considering Dallas offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, Baltimore defensive coordinator Rex Ryan and Minnesota defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier.
The Rams also interviewed Packers assistant head coach / linebackers Winston Moss, but Moss isn't believed to be in the final five.
McCarthy might not know Haslett's availability until the Rams decide on their head coach. That could happen as early as the end of the week or sometime early next week.
If Haslett is hired, there's a chance Moss would be more willing to stick around. Haslett hired Moss in 2000 to be a quality control assistant and then promoted him quickly to linebackers coach where he remained until McCarthy hired him in 2006.