Giants Defense Could Use Some Pepper

On Wednesday, Jan 6, the New York Daily News reported that Pepper Johnson, the former Giants linebacker and current Patriots defensive line coach, is a possible candidate for the Giants defensive coordinator position.

According to two people familiar with Pepper Johnson’s thinking, he would also be “very interested” in becoming the next Giants defensive he job. He has never been a defensive coordinator, but he has won two Super Bowl rings as a player and three as a Patriots assistant.

He also is a brilliant defensive mind, according to those who know him, and his presence and winning background would certainly get the attention of the Giants’ deflated defensive players.

“Yeah, definitely, it would be instant respect,” said Carl Banks, the former Giants linebacker and a teammate of Johnson’s from 1986-92. “But even if they know nothing of his history and care nothing about Giant tradition, they’ll respect his knowledge of the game. They’ll respect the success he has in this league and the teams he’s coached.”

Johnson, 45, has been a defensive assistant under Bill Belichick for 10 seasons, after lasting 13 years as a player in the NFL. In all, this will be his 16th season playing or coaching for the man Banks called “one of the brightest minds in football.”

And according to Banks, who is part of the Giants’ broadcast team on WFAN, that pedigree should count for a lot when Coughlin considers a replacement for Bill Sheridan, who was fired Monday after one miserable season as defensive coordinator.

“You could get another guy that might be bright, but in my opinion you’ve got to look at everything,” Banks said. “You’ve got to bring a guy who subscribes to winning principles and has been a part of it. You look at the Yankees. They don’t settle. The Yankees don’t bring in guys that could be good. They bring in guys that are good.

“And if you listen closely to what John Mara said (on Monday), I think it’s pretty clear what his standard is.”

What’s not clear is where Johnson sits on Coughlin’s short list, which one team source said is actually long. According to various team and NFL sources, it includes several coaches with defensive coordinator experience, including former Bills interim coach Perry Fewell, who was Coughlin’s defensive backs coach in Jacksonville (1998-2002) and who will reportedly interview for the job tomorrow.

Other experienced candidates on the list include former Bills and Bears coach Dick Jauron, Coughlin’s former defensive coordinator in Jacksonville (1995-98); Jets linebackers coach Bob Sutton (the Jets defensive coordinator from 2006-08) and Dolphins linebackers coach George Edwards (the Redskins defensive coordinator from 2002-03).

It may also include Dom Capers, another of Coughlin’s former Jacksonville defensive coordinators, although Capers currently holds that job with the Packers and makes more than $2million per year. Also available is Romeo Crennel, the former Browns head coach and Giants assistant who ran Belichick’s defense in New England from 2001-04.

But according to a team source, previous experience as a defensive coordinator isn’t necessarily a requirement. And it shouldn’t be, Banks said.

“When you look at what’s needed to straighten out the defense, it’s a culture that’s conducive to accountability and winning,” he said. “That’s how (Johnson) was brought up as a player. And then if you take the intangibles, I guarantee you guys will work for him.”

Now that the Patriots season is over, it’s time for the Giants front office to sign Pepper Johnson as Big Blue’s defensive coordinator and bring back the soul of the Giants - it’s DEFENSE.

source: nydailynews.com