Tag: Shane Bowen

Giants’ Shane Bowen expects an easy transition in leadership

New York Giants DC Shane Bowen expects the defensive transition from Wink Martindale to be a smooth one.

In 2023, the New York Giants had a season full of drama on and off the field. It wasn’t just injured bones and muscles but also injured pride and high tension among the front office staff.

The result was Wink Martindale’s departure and Shane Bowen’s entrance as defensive coordinator.

Bowen has been asked all kinds of questions about how he will handle the more colorful parts of Brian Daboll’s personality, and he’s been asked all the standard questions a new DC is asked.

One thing about Monday’s press conference that stood out was that Bowen expects the transition between regimes to be smooth.

“I don’t think they are really going to have to unlearn anything. I think it’s just going to be what we are emphasizing a little bit more, these guys understanding their piece in the defense, how it all works together, understanding concepts, being able to tie them in so we can do different things that are similar in a lot of ways, but there might be one or two variations here or there,” Bowen told reporters.

“But the focus right now is on style of play, on fundamentals and as we get to scheme and we get going in that direction, I think they will be able to pull a lot from what they have done in the past and then if there’s some new things here or there, we’ll teach them, right. We’ll teach them.

“But ultimately for me, I think it’s more of a general approach from my standpoint than anything.”

Bowen seems to have an understanding of what he’s walking into, what he has to work with, and how to make this a smooth transition.

The less the defense has to learn, the more they can focus on the new scheme and how to implement it. Mid-way through the season we’ll have an idea of how well Bowen did that job.

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Giants’ Shane Bowen wants to ‘create a new line of scrimmage’

New York Giants DC Shane Bowen wants a fast and aggressive defense that ultimately creates a “new line of scrimmage.”

The New York Giants defense will look different under Shane Bowen than it did under Wink Martindale, but that doesn’t mean it will be any less aggressive.

Like his predecessor, Bowen is determined to play fast and physical football. The notable change is that he prefers to generate pressure organically as opposed to relying so heavily on exotic blitzes.

“I’m hoping it’s going to be speed and aggressiveness,” Bowen told Shaun O’Hara this week. “Regardless of scheme — everybody’s going to have scheme, we’re going to have plenty of scheme — but I want to make sure our guys are lined up, they know what to do, and they can play fast and aggressive ultimately. I want to maximize their abilities.

“I don’t want to paralyze them before the ball is even snapped by overthinking. They’re all here for a reason. God has blessed them with the skill set to be here. I want to make sure we can maximize that skillset and they’re able to maximize that skillset. But hopefully (it will be) fast, aggressive, you’ll see some violence from us and ultimately guys making plays.”

Instead of relying on the secondary to get after the quarterback, Bowen intends to rely on their coverage ability to help the front seven. It then becomes the job of those guys up front to create a new line of scrimmage.

Another key component of Bowen’s style is a solid run defense. The cornerbacks and safeties will be relied upon to make key tackles, sometimes in the open field — something the Giants struggled with a season ago.

“To me, I think it starts with play style, demeanor, what we want to be defensively. You think run game, you think physicality, you think toughness, and that’s what we want to be at all levels. . . It’s great to stop the run, but you better be able to affect the quarterback just the same,” Bowen said. “So, finding that balance and just (having) the attacking mentality where we’re getting off the ball, trying to play on the other side of the line scrimmage, and then in that regard, if it is a pass, you’re already on your way.

“You’ve got guys at the second level, at the third level, who can make those guys up front right a lot of times in the run game. We’re going to let those guys go and hopefully we’ll be a little bit more aggressive, attacking, and creating a new line of scrimmage and guys fitting off of them.”

This approach should help the Giants increase their pass rush productivity by a significant margin, but the secondary — specifically, the cornerbacks — will have to play much better in coverage than they did a year ago.

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Bobby Okereke a ‘little ticked’ Giants parted ways with Wink Martindale

Bobby Okereke admits he’s a little PO’d that the New York Giants parted ways with defensive coordinator Wink Martindale.

Shortly after Black Monday, the New York Giants and defensive coordinator Wink Martindale “parted ways.”

There was a bit of, we’ll call it tension, between Wink and head coach Brian Daboll, which is ultimately what led to his departure. Several players and many around the league couldn’t understand why the Giants didn’t try to keep Martindale around considering the defense carried the team in 2023.

One player who has been vocal about his displeasure with Martindale’s departure is linebacker Bobby Okereke.

During Super Bowl week, Okereke joined reporters on radio row where he credited Wink with his improvement this past season.

“You know, I gotta say that being in the Wink Martindale defense, the way he coaches… Wink is a savage, he’s such a cool guy and he simplifies the game (in) a way that really just spoke to me. So I was just able to play free and fast and physical,” Okereke said, via The Charity Stripe.

When asked if he was upset with the decision to part ways, Okereke didn’t hold back.

“I’m a little (expletive). I love Wink, but Shane Bowen is a great coach. I got to meet him, talk to him, so I’m very excited for our future,” Okereke added.

Of Wink, the star linebacker said, “He just gets it. And he knows how to speak to the players and really bring a group together.”

Okereke had the best season of his career in 2023. And while he’s ‘ticked’ that Wink is gone, he’s already had productive conversations with new defensive coordinator Shane Bowen.

Okereke admits the new defensive scheme is very different from Martindale’s, but hopefully, that won’t impact his production next season.

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Giants’ Bobby Okereke already jelling with DC Shane Bowen

New York Giants LB Bobby Okereke has already spoken with DC Shane Bowen, is excited about the new system and feels the two are jelling.

The New York Giants’ defense will have a new look and new attitude under recently hired coordinator Shane Bowen.

Bowen, who held the same position the past few seasons with the Tennessee Titans, will have a solid base to work with, most notably defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence and inside linebacker Bobby Okereke.

Okereke, who led the Giants in tackles this season in his first year with Big Blue under coordinator Wink Martindale, was making the rounds on Radio Row at the Super Bowl in Las Vegas this week. He told the New York Post that he and Bowen are already in touch.

“Had a great conversation with him,” Okereke said on Friday. “I’m very excited.

“I’m excited, really, how fast we jelled based on the conversation we had. We sat there and talked ball for about 10 minutes, talking to him about my experiences, playing with Matt Eberflus in the Cover-2 system, playing with Gus Bradley in the Cover 3-system, and obviously playing with Wink in the blitz-man system. … Excited to immerse myself in what they do, what we do now. Just excited to start playing football again.”

Okereke and Lawrence won’t be the only pieces Bowen is inheriting. Cornerback Deonte Banks, outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux and fellow inside linebacker Micah McFadden are also in that group.

Okereke had the best season of his five-year NFL career with a team-high 149 tackles and also set career highs in passes defensed (10), forced fumbles (four), sacks (2.5), tackles for loss (11) and quarterback hits (six) while playing every single defensive snap (1,128) for the Giants this year.

Okereke will likely be asked to wear the headset again next season to call the defensive signals. He acknowledges that Bowen’s system is much different than that of Martindale’s blitzing regimen that he flourished in last year. There will be changes.

“We’re gonna simplify it. Everybody’s gonna know exactly what we’re gonna do. There’s not gonna be too many wrinkles. We’re gonna play very fundamentally sound football,” Okereke said. “We’ll probably run a good bit of 3-4, a good bit of 4-3, good bit of quarters, a good bit of Cover-2, Cover-5, so we’re all excited.”

Okereke was asked if the changes would be for the better.

“I think it will be a very good thing,” Okereke said. “That was my experience my first couple of games adjusting to the Wink system. I got to bring a lot of the tools I learned in previous systems and incorporated it into Wink’s system. I think everybody’s gonna go through that same adjustment and it’s gonna be much better form.

“A lot of the tools, a lot of the fundamental teachings we had from Wink, that’s ingrained in us, that’s part of our toolbelt and now we can go incorporate it in a different defense with a different play style. It’s only gonna help.”

As for the rift between Martindale and head coach Brian Daboll, Okereke had this to say.

“Obviously knew there was some tension there,” Okereke said. “You got two alpha coaches, everyone’s not always going to get along.

“Definitely wouldn’t have forecast it that Wink wouldn’t be our coach at the end of the year but very happy for him to get the Michigan job, and talking to Shane, I’m very excited about it, so I think it all works out.”

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List of former Titans coaches who have landed jobs elsewhere

A look at former Titans coaches from ex-head coach Mike Vrabel’s staff who have been hired elsewhere.

As was expected when the Tennessee Titans hired a new head coach in Brian Callahan, the team has chosen not to retain several members of former head coach Mike Vrabel’s staff.

While you never want to see anyone lose their job, the good news is many of Vrabel’s assistants have already landed on their feet in roles with new teams.

Vrabel himself has yet to land a new gig after it was believed he would have another head-coaching job quickly following his being let go by Tennessee.

The former Titans head coach garnered a total of three interviews with the Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons and Los Angeles Chargers. However, he was passed over for each of those roles.

One of Vrabel’s coaches Tennessee may retain is running backs coach and run-game coordinator Justin Outten, who the team has reportedly blocked from interviewing with other squads.

Here’s a look at the Vrabel assistants who have landed jobs elsewhere.

Giants hire Shane Bowen: 5 things to know about the new DC

The New York Giants have hired Shane Bowen, so here are five things to know about the team’s new defensive coordinator.

The New York Giants are hiring former Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Shane Bowen to fill their DC vacancy after a long, frustrating search.

Here are five quick things to know about Bowen.

Giants hiring former Titans DC Shane Bowen to same role

The Giants are reportedly hiring former Titans defensive coordinator Shane Bowen to the same role.

Former Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Shane Bowen has reportedly landed on his feet with a new team.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the New York Giants are hiring Bowen as their next defensive coordinator. He adds that the Giants will consider the coaches who worked under Bowen for roles on his staff, so more of former head coach Mike Vrabel’s coaches may be going to the Big Apple with him.

Bowen was hired by the Titans in 2018 and served as an outside linebackers coach for three seasons before being promoted to defensive coordinator in 2021.

Tennessee’s unit was particularly good in the pass-rush and in run defense over those three seasons, but struggled in coverage. However, that was more a result of injury issues and a lack of talent than anything else.

Prior to his stint with the Titans, Bowen worked as a defensive assistant for the Houston Texans for two seasons (2016-17).

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Giants hire Shane Bowen as new DC

The New York Giants are hiring Shane Bowen as their new defensive coordinator, replacing Wink Martindale

According to reports, the New York Giants are filling their vacant defensive coordinator position by hiring former Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Shane Bowen.

Bowen, 37, began his professional coaching career as a defensive assistant with the Houston Texans back in 2016. He joined the Titans in 2018 as their outside linebackers coach and was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2021. He was not retained by the Titans after they fired head coach Mike Vrabel last month.

Here are some quick things to know about Bowen from CBSSports’ Dan Schneier.

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11 candidates for Cowboys vacant defensive coordinator position

The Cowboys are in need of fresh perspective in the defensive coordinator role, but it may be a difficult fill. 11 candidates, both internal and external. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Cowboys are in a unique situation now. They are going to have to find a new defensive coordinator after the departure of Dan Quinn. Quinn became Washington’s new head coach, and will have a playground to work with that includes $63 million in cap space and the No. 2 overall selection in a QB-heavy draft class.

That Dallas needs to replace a coordinator isn’t a big deal. The fact that their head coach is going into the final year of his contract without an extension is what makes things difficult. Defensive assistants in positive environments, or with a bunch of opportunities, might hesitate to pack up their lives (and families) for what might be a one-and-done.

On the other hand, veteran defensive minds might look at this as an opportunity to audition for one of the most famous sports jobs in America. Theoretically, a coach with experience would be in line to be at worst an interim hire should things go bad for Mike McCarthy’s offense and an in-season firing happened. They’d at least get consideration for the gig were Dallas to move on from McCarthy at the end of the 2024 season.

And if there’s success? Then the DC would be in running for head coach job elsewhere in 2025. With that in mind, here’s a collection of names —both internal and external —that could be on Jerry Jones and company’s radar as the interview process convenes.

Giants’ options for defensive coordinator beginning to dwindle

The New York Giants have been thorough in their search for a new defensive coordinator but their options are beginning to dwindle.

After an ugly falling out between head coach Brian Daboll and defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, the New York Giants were thrust into the hunt for a new DC.

Their search has been thorough but thus far, has yielded no fruit.

Earlier this week, general manager Joe Schoen said he’d like to have a DC in place over the coming days but that clock is ticking.

Nearly a month after the Giants and Martindale “parted ways,’ the Giants are still without a defensive coordinator and following a recent spate of hirings, their options are beginning to dwindle.