The Arizona Cardinals‘ coaching staff under Mike LaFleur is beginning to take shape. They’ve already filled the offensive coordinator role, tabbing the veteran Nathaniel Hackett. Now, the next important hire will be who the Cardinals and LaFleur want to run the defense.
Another quality candidate has emerged in the Cardinals’ search. NFL insider Mike Garafolo reports that Arizona has requested to interview Charlie Bullen.
Bullen, 41, is the outside linebackers coach for the New York Giants. He took over the play-calling duties on an interim basis for the final six weeks of the 2025 season. Garafolo notes that the Giants considered retaining Bullen as the defensive coordinator before deciding on Dennard Wilson.
The Cardinals were rebuffed by their first choice for the role, as Gus Bradley picked the Titans job instead. Texans secondary coach Dino Vasso was floated as a name of interest, but there’s no definitive link yet.
Why Charlie Bullen Makes Sense for the Cardinals
The Cardinals’ defensive coordinator will also be responsible for calling plays. Bullen had five games in that role, with strong results. The Giants allowed 17 points or fewer in their final three games, winning two of them.
Cardinals fan (@AzJace) posted a graphic on X, showing how much the Giants’ defense improved under Bullen.
http://twitter.com/AzJace/status/2019146521137353012/photo/1
Because of the unit’s improvement, Bullen is getting serious consideration for defensive coordinator openings across the league. He already interviewed with the Dallas Cowboys before Arizona submitted its request.
Bullen also has previous ties to the Cardinals in his coaching career. He worked under defensive coordinator Vance Joseph from 2019-2022, as both an assistant linebackers coach and outside linebackers coach.
However, he’ll see a much different roster in 2026. Only Jalen Thompson, Budda Baker, and Zaven Collins are holdovers from Bullen’s last season in Arizona. Even Collins has undergone a position change, from an off-ball role to edge defender under Jonathan Gannon. So there will certainly be an adjustment period if he takes the job.
Why the Cardinals Can Attract a Quality DC Candidate
While the Cardinals’ record might not show it, they have some quality players on the defensive side of the ball. There’s enough talent there to attract an up-and-coming defensive coordinator candidate like Bullen.
General manager Monti Ossenfort has spent significant draft capital on the defense, especially on the defensive line. Ossenfort drafted a defensive lineman with each of his last two first-round picks: Darius Robinson and Walter Nolen III.
Nolen looked like a game-wrecker at defensive tackle, but suffered an Achilles rupture late in the 2025 season. In just six games, he recorded 2.0 sacks and five quarterback hits. The defensive front should be much more disruptive once his relentless motor returns to the lineup.
The Cardinals made a significant upgrade to their pass rush last spring, luring Josh Sweat away from the Philadelphia Eagles. In his first season in Arizona, Sweat recorded a team-leading 12.0 sacks and 17 QB hits.
Ossenfort has also devoted a lot of draft capital to the secondary. Garrett Williams has emerged as a great slot corner, although he’s recovering from his own Achilles injury this offseason. They also spent second-rounders on Max Melton and Will Johnson. At full strength, it’s a solid secondary.
The Cardinals’ defense battled injuries for much of the 2025 season. Bringing in a qualified defensive coordinator and better health should lead to an improvement. Arizona was 29th in points per game (28.7) last season, so there is plenty of room to improve.
It starts with landing the right defensive coordinator.
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