Green Bay - Before anyone anoints former San Francisco 49ers coach Mike Nolan as the next Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator, consider this name:
Gregg Williams.
With the hiring process not quite at the interview stage, Williams, one of the most highly regarded defensive coordinators in the game, has moved solidly into the picture and, with Nolan, forms the top two candidates on McCarthy's list.
According to a source with intimate knowledge of the search, McCarthy's plan is to go for the best available candidates and then decide which would be the best fit for him. He plans to take his time with the search and if other candidates emerge during the process, he will consider them, too.
When McCarthy made his decision to fire Bob Sanders, the best available experienced defensive coordinators were Nolan, Williams, Jim Haslett and Romeo Crennel.
Haslett, who became St. Louis Rams interim coach after Scott Linehan was fired at midseason, has spoken with McCarthy about the job but has a good chance to become head coach with the Rams and may be out of the picture. Rams general manager Billy Devaney is interviewing other candidates and might not complete his work until next week.
Crennel might stay with the Cleveland Browns and join former New England coaching mate, Eric Mangini, who was hired as Browns head coach Wednesday.
That leaves Williams and Nolan.
As much speculation as there has been that it's Nolan's job to lose, it appears Williams is just as strong of a candidate provided he is truly interested in the job. The Packers are likely to receive competition from Houston and New Orleans, who both have defensive coordinator openings and will be aggressive in pursuing a strong candidate.
Williams is probably the strongest of all the candidates based on his experience with many different systems and his ability to be successful with a limited amount of talent. He had long-term success in Tennessee and Washington as a defensive coordinator, and while he was not successful as a head coach in Buffalo, his defense was very good by the time he was let go.
It's clear that McCarthy is making sure all of his bases are covered rather than focus on just one candidate and rubber stamp him for the job. It's similar to the process he used three years ago when he interviewed four candidates before going with Sanders as his defensive coordinator.
McCarthy and Williams spoke recently about the job and were expected to talk again sometime today.
"There are a couple of places Gregg will interview for sure," Williams' agent, Marvin Demoff, said Wednesday. "I'm really not sure about Green Bay. I know they've talked."
Demoff said he's assuming Nolan is the leading candidate, but he said that was based solely on what he's read and nothing he has heard from others around the NFL. He said Williams is interested in exploring the Packers' position to see if he would be a good fit.
Asked if Williams would be comfortable working in a small-town environment, Demoff said he didn't anticipate that being a problem.
"He spent three years in Buffalo," Demoff said. "Gregg is really a football purist. He's a football-first and family-first person. I think Gregg would be more comfortable in Green Bay than he would in New York City."
There's no question that Williams' rsum would include the aggressive, pressure-oriented experience McCarthy is looking for with his next hire. Williams has dabbled in just about everything, from a 4-3 scheme to a 3-4 to Buddy Ryan's "46." McCarthy, the source said, wants someone who could adapt to his talent and not be tied to one way of doing things.
Over a four-year period in Washington, Williams' defense ranked sixth in the NFL in yards allowed and ninth in points allowed. In his three seasons as Buffalo's head coach, the defense went from 21st to 15th to second overall.
Before being hired by the Bills, he oversaw a Titans defense for four seasons and led them to a No. 1 ranking in 2000.
He was a strong candidate to become Washington's head coach after Joe Gibbs retired after the 2007 season, but owner Dan Snyder ultimately went with Jim Zorn. The decision was not well-received among many players and fans who wanted Williams to get the job.
Demoff said Williams will not return to Jacksonville, where he was Jack Del Rio's defensive coordinator last year.
One issue that could come up is money. Williams was the highest-paid assistant in the NFL when he was in Washington and its not going to be cheap to get him. But if the Packers are serious about improving their defense, they can compete with anyone in the league financially.
McCarthy has a working relationship with both Nolan and Haslett. He served as Hasletts offensive coordinator for five seasons in New Orleans before leaving to accept an offer from Nolan to be his offensive coordinator in San Francisco.
In either situation, the roles would be reversed with McCarthy the head coach and the other the subordinate. That could factor in how McCarthy and general manager Ted Thompson perceive each candidate.
From McCarthys standpoint, Haslett would be a good fit because he runs an aggressive scheme that uses a multitude of blitzes to pressure the quarterback. Nolan has run mostly a 3-4 defense, but he has used some 4-3 also and doesnt appear locked into any one system.
If in the time that McCarthy is considering Williams and Nolan, an assistant coach such as Philadelphias Sean McDermott or Pittsburghs Keith Rivers becomes available due to their team being knocked out of the playoffs, he might pursue them.
In the meantime, McCarthy has already set up an interview with at least one assistant coach.
A source confirmed a report from The National Football Post Wednesday that Denver Broncos defensive line coach Bill Johnson will interview with the New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks and Packers. Johnson is still under contract for another season in Denver, but the Broncos have given Shanahans assistants permission to pursue other jobs in case they are not retained by the next head coach.
Johnson came to the Broncos last year with a strong reputation, but the Broncos struggled on defense all year long and couldnt stop anybody. Its questionable whether Johnson deserved the blame given the lack of talent the Broncos had on the defensive line.
He had much more success with the Falcons where players like end Patrick Kerney and defensive tackle Rod Coleman flourished. Johnson is a large man with lots of energy who has coached both the 4-3 and 3-4.
As far as fired Boston College coach Jeff Jagodzinski, its unlikely hell wind up back on McCarthys staff. McCarthy isnt firing anyone on offense so there isnt a position for the former Packers offensive coordinator to fill.
Nolan, meanwhile, has not surfaced to say whether hes close to accepting a job with the Packers or is considering other options. Neither Nolan nor his agent has returned phone calls and he has not spoken to Bay Area media recently.
Nolan has one year left on his five-year, $8 million contract in San Francisco. The Packers would have to pay him a salary commensurate with his position and experience, but they wont have to overpay because the 49ers have to make up the difference between what the Packers pay him and what Nolan would have earned as 49ers head coach.