The Browns are casting a wide net in their search for a new defensive coordinator, and their latest target is Panthers defensive pass game coordinator Jonathan Cooley. According to league reports, Cleveland has officially requested to interview Cooley as they continue to explore their options to fill the key role on Jim Schwartz’s staff.
Cooley is the fifth known candidate connected to the opening, joining a list that includes some familiar faces and rising defensive minds from around the league. So far, the Browns have already interviewed in-house candidates Ephraim Banda (safeties coach) and Jason Tarver (linebackers coach). They’ve also scheduled an interview with Rams defensive pass game coordinator Aubrey Pleasant and submitted a request to speak with Giants outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen.
As for Cooley, he's a name that’s been quietly building momentum in coaching circles. He broke into the NFL back in 2020 with the Rams as a defensive quality control coach, a role that often serves as a proving ground for young coaches looking to climb the ranks. He quickly worked his way up, serving as an assistant secondary coach in 2021 before taking over as the Rams’ defensive backs coach in 2022.
In 2023, Cooley made the jump to Carolina, where he was initially hired as the Panthers’ cornerbacks coach. By the following season, he was promoted to defensive pass game coordinator-a sign of both his football acumen and his growing influence on the defensive side of the ball.
What makes Cooley an intriguing candidate for Cleveland is his experience working with secondaries in complex defensive systems. That background could mesh well with the Browns’ current defensive philosophy, especially considering the talent they already have on the back end. With players like Denzel Ward, Greg Newsome, and Grant Delpit anchoring the secondary, bringing in a coach who specializes in pass defense could be a smart move to elevate that unit even further.
The Browns are clearly doing their homework. Whether they opt for continuity with someone already on staff or bring in a fresh voice from outside the building, the goal is the same: keep building on a defense that was one of the NFL’s most dominant in 2023. Cooley’s name being in the mix is another sign that Cleveland is leaving no stone unturned in that pursuit.
We’ll continue tracking the Browns’ defensive coordinator search as it develops.