Report: Greg Schiano 'Likely' To Join Bill Belichick's Patriots Coaching Staff
BOSTON (CBS) -- For the second straight year, the Patriots are set to lose the director of their defense. But they already appear to have a replacement plan in place.
Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday that former Ohio State defensive coordinator and former Buccaneers head coach Greg Schiano is "likely" to join Bill Belichick's coaching staff next year.
Ex-#Bucs coach & #OSU DC Greg Schiano is here in Mobile to explore his NFL opportunities. Nothing is done, but the spot that appears likely is the #Patriots in a top defensive role, sources tell @JamesPalmerTV and me. With Brian Flores taking the #Dolphins job, Schiano slides in.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 23, 2019
Though Brian Flores did not get the official defensive coordinator title this season, he did call the plays for the Patriots after Matt Patricia departed in the offseason to become the head coach of the Lions. Flores is expected to become the next head coach of the Miami Dolphins, though that move cannot be made official until the Patriots' season ends up on Super Bowl Sunday.
Belichick's relationship with Schiano goes back a ways, most notably in the pipeline of players that went from Schiano's program at Rutgers to the Patriots in the NFL draft. That list includes Devin McCourty, Duron Harmon, and Logan Ryan.