The NY Giants have zeroed in on their new defensive coordinator, hiring former Titans DC Shane Bowen, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. It's been a long search for the Giants, as they interview multiple candidates for the job.
Bowen was promoted to Titans' defensive coordinator for the 2021 season and remained there for three campaigns. Dennard Wilson was just named the new DC in Tennessee. In three years as Titans DC, Bowen's units ranked near the middle of the pack in total defense but they have stood out in stopping the run, something the Giants still need to improve on heading into 2024 and beyond.
Sources: #Giants plan to hire former #Titans DC Shane Bowen as their defensive coordinator.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) February 5, 2024
Giants have begun lining up talks with Titans staffers who worked under him. pic.twitter.com/V2Bqvk9oVO
The NY Giants have hired Shane Bowen as their new defensive coordinator
The Giants will still be in a 3-4 base defense under Bowen, so there's still some continuity there in terms of alignments. Bowen had a Top 5 rushing defense in each of his three years as defensive coordinator, including the No. 1 ranked unit in 2022.
They've also ranked in the top half of the league each year in points per game, with their best being No. 5 overall in 2021. Tennessee's pass defense wasn't great, ranking 17th, 27th and 24th in Bowen's three seasons. Bowen was one of the few candidates with play-calling experience. The Giants reportedly had to pivot after their top two candidates took jobs elsewhere.
The delay in the timeline in the defensive coordinator hunt is because the #Giants did not land two of their top targets, according to a source familiar with the search. They have since recalibrated.
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) February 5, 2024
There was some concern from candidates given that Brian Daboll and this regime… https://t.co/4U7x4rALEN
With the Giants now moving forward with Bowen as defensive coordinator, it puts the whole Martindale saga in the past. This offseason, there's been plenty of talk about the controversial ending to his tenure with the Giants, which included him storming out of Daboll's office as he resigned.
Fans had been waiting to see who Daboll would hire to lead the defense - there's now pressure on Bowen to help this team bounce back from a 6-11 finish in 2023. With the success he's had in recent seasons in Tennessee, we can only hope he can help this defense take a step forward in 2024.