Aubrey Pleasant Emerging as Top Defensive Coordinator Target for Cardinals
GLENDALE - The Arizona Cardinals might be closing in on their next defensive coordinator, and signs are pointing toward a familiar face for new head coach Mike LaFleur.
Since officially taking the reins on February 1, LaFleur has wasted no time assembling his coaching staff. He quickly tabbed Nathaniel Hackett to run the offense, locking in a seasoned play-caller to guide the development of Arizona’s young offensive core.
But the defensive coordinator search? That’s been a bit more layered - and understandably so.
Whoever lands the job is expected to call plays and help define the identity of a defense in transition.
One name has consistently hovered near the top of Arizona’s wishlist: Aubrey Pleasant. Currently the assistant head coach and passing game coordinator with the Los Angeles Rams, Pleasant brings a strong resume and a reputation as one of the league’s most respected secondary minds. He’s already interviewed with the Cardinals, and all indications are that he’s a serious contender - if not the frontrunner - for the job.
Now, there’s even more smoke around his potential move to the desert.
On Tuesday, reports surfaced that the Rams are expected to hire Tennessee’s Michael Hunter as a defensive backs coach. That’s a notable development, because when Pleasant first joined Sean McVay’s staff back in 2023, he held that very same role - defensive backs coach - along with responsibilities as the team’s passing game coordinator. He was promoted to assistant head coach in 2024 but remained heavily involved with the secondary.
So what does this mean? Well, it sure looks like Los Angeles is preparing for life without Pleasant. Bringing in Hunter, a former NFL defensive back who’s spent time coaching at Ohio State and Tennessee, feels like a proactive move - the kind a team makes when it knows a key assistant might be headed elsewhere.
And that “elsewhere” could very well be Arizona.
LaFleur and Pleasant go way back, having worked together during their time with the Rams. That shared history matters.
LaFleur knows what Pleasant brings to the table - not just as a technician in the secondary, but as a communicator, a leader, and someone who can help shape a young defense from the ground up. Giving him his first shot at defensive coordinator would make a lot of sense, especially for a team looking to establish a new culture under a first-year head coach.
While nothing’s official yet, the signs are pointing in one direction. The Rams are moving like Pleasant won’t be back in 2026. And for the Cardinals, that could be very good news.