On Wednesday, the same day that the Detroit Lions introduced Jim Caldwell as their new head coach, Ravens coach John Harbaugh said in a statement that he has a “profile in mind” for the person that will replace Caldwell as Baltimore’s offensive coordinator.
“We will be interviewing coaches inside and outside of the building,” Harbaugh said. “We’re confident that whether we select someone currently on our staff or from another team, we will have a coach that best fits what we want to be, where we want to go and understands what Ravens football is all about. …
“We are excited about the coaches who have shown interest in the job. One of the positives with the change is that we’re reminded that this franchise — and — is attractive to many in the profession.”
The Ravens have not come out with an official list of coaches they’re interested in, but here are 14 potential candidates (in alphabetical order).
Brad Childress
Childress, 57, was fired by the Cleveland Browns following the 2012 season after just one year as their offensive coordinator, but he is a former NFL head coach who was the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2003-05. He was also the Eagles’ quarterbacks coach for four seasons prior to that and has been largely credited for his work in helping to develop Donovan McNabb.
He also has a pre-existing relationship with Harbaugh. They were on the same staff together in Philadelphia.
Childress is currently the spread game analyst for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Clyde Christensen
Christensen, 57, was the Indianapolis Colts’ offensive coordinator from 2009-11 and has been the Colts’ quarterbacks coach the last two seasons, working with 2012 No. 1 overall pick Andrew Luck.
Christensen has been with Indianapolis since 2002. He was the Colts’ wide receivers coach from 2002-07 and was Indianapolis’ receivers coach and assistant head coach in 2008.
He was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator in 2001 under Tony Dungy and left for the Colts with Dungy in 2002. He is reportedly the favorite to be named Caldwell’s offensive coordinator with the Lions. He worked with and under Caldwell in Indianapolis.
Geep Chryst
Chryst has been the San Francisco 49ers’ quarterbacks coach since 2011 under Harbaugh’s brother, Jim. During that time, he helped former No. 1 overall pick Alex Smith have a breakthrough season in 2011 and has aided in the development of current 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
Chryst has a relationship with Jim Harbaugh dating back to 1991, when Harbaugh was a quarterback for the Chicago Bears and Chryst was the Bears’ director of research and quality control. He was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach of the San Diego Chargers in 1999 and 2000, the same two years Jim Harbaugh was with the Chargers.
Rob Chudzinski
Chudzinski, 45, was recently fired after just one season as the coach of the Cleveland Browns. He was an offensive coordinator with the Carolina Panthers in 2011 and 2012. He has also been an offensive coordinator with the Browns (2007-08) and at the University of Miami (2001-03).
Jeff Davidson
Davidson, 46, is a former NFL offensive lineman who is a highly regarded offensive line coach. He has been the Vikings’ line coach since 2011. Prior to that, he was the Panthers’ offensive coordinator from 2007-10. He was also an offensive coordinator with the Browns in 2006.
Randy Fichtner
Fichtner, 50, has been on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ staff since Mike Tomlin was hired as coach in 2007. He was the Steelers’ wide receivers coach from 2007-09 and has been the quarterbacks coach since 2010.
He has never been an offensive coordinator in the NFL, but he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of Memphis from 2001-06 and the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Arkansas State from 1997-00. Memphis ranked ninth nationally in total offense under Fichtner in 2004.
Jim Hostler
Hostler, 47, has been the Ravens’ wide receivers coach since 2008 and has been big in the development of Torrey Smith. He was the 49ers’ offensive coordinator in 2007.
Greg Knapp
Knapp, 50, has been an offensive coordinator with five different NFL teams, most recently the Oakland Raiders in 2012, but he’s never lasted as a coordinator for more than three seasons. He is currently the quarterbacks coach with Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos.
Gary Kubiak
Kubiak was recently fired after eight seasons as coach of the Houston Texans. He is a highly thought of offensive mind. He was a quarterback for the Denver Broncos from 1983-91 and was the Broncos’ offensive coordinator from 1995-2005 before taking over with the Texans.
The Broncos had the most total yards in the NFL during that 11-year period (66,501) as well as the most touchdowns (465).
Rhett Lashlee
Lashlee, 30, is the offensive coordinator at the University of Auburn and helped the Tigers reach the National Championship game this season. On Lashlee’s bio on Auburn’s website, Tigers coach Gus Malzahn called Lashlee “one of the best young offensive minds in college football.”
Under Lashlee, Auburn ranked 11th in the country in total offense and first in rushing offense.
Lashlee runs a high-tempo offense built around the read-option at Auburn and previously and successfully ran high-tempo offenses at Arkansas State and Samford. Arkansas State ranked 17th nationally in total offense in 2011.
Joe Lombardi
Lombardi’s grandfather is legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi. He has been the New Orleans Saints’ quarterbacks coach since 2009, working with Pro Bowl quarterback Drew Brees.
Lombardi, 41, also spent a year with the Atlanta Falcons and was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Mercyhurst College from 2002-05.
Philip Montgomery
Montgomery, 40, has been the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Baylor University since 2008. During that time, he has helped develop quarterbacks Robert Griffin III, Nick Florence and Bryce Petty.
Griffin was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft. Florence threw for 4,309 yards in 2012. Petty threw for 4,200 yards this season with 32 touchdowns and just three interceptions.
Baylor led the country in total offense this season and ranked fifth in passing offense and 13th in rushing offense. The Bears ranked second nationally in total offense in both 2011 and 2012.
Kyle Shanahan
Shanahan reportedly interviewed for the Ravens’ offensive coordinator job on Wednesday. Shanahan, the son of longtime NFL coach Mike Shanahan, has been an offensive coordinator since 2008, when he was just 28 years old.
Shanahan and his father were both fired by the Washington Redskins in December after a tumultuous 2013 season, but the Redskins ranked fifth in the NFL in total offense under Shanahan in 2012. The Texans also ranked among the top-5 in the league in total offense under Shanahan in both 2008 and 2009.
Glenn Thomas
Thomas has been quarterback Matt Ryan’s position coach with the Atlanta Falcons the last two seasons and has been with the Falcons since 2008. Prior to that, he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Division II Midwestern St. from 2005-07. Midwestern St. led Division II in total offense and rushing offense under Thomas in 2007.
Thomas also has ties to the Ravens. According to his bio on the Falcons’ website, Thomas spent time helping out with Baltimore’s wide receivers in 2002, 2003 and 2005.
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