The New York Giants’ search for a defensive coordinator has shifted toward a face familiar to John Harbaugh. On Saturday morning, ESPN’s Jordan Raanan reported that former Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson is a “name to watch” for the Giants’ DC vacancy, with an interview expected in the coming days.
Wilson, who spent the 2023 season under Harbaugh in Baltimore, is coming off a defensive turnaround in Tennessee and is currently one of the most coveted assistants on the market.
For a Giants team that purged nearly its entire defensive staff earlier this week, Wilson represents the perfect bridge between Harbaugh’s physical philosophy and the modern, aggressive coverage schemes taking over the league.
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The Baltimore Connection and Wilson’s 2024 Success
According to Raanan, Wilson is a “name to watch” for the Giants, and he is expected to interview with the team, despite having opportunities with other teams as well.
Wilson is far from a stranger to Harbaugh. As the Ravens’ defensive backs coach in 2023, Wilson was a key contributor to a unit that ranked atop the NFL in points allowed, sacks, and takeaways.
He took those Baltimore principles to Tennessee in 2024, where he instantly transformed the Titans into the NFL’s No. 2 overall defense, allowing just 311.2 yards per game.
Even more impressive was Wilson’s impact on the secondary; despite a lack of blue-chip talent, the Titans finished the year with the league’s second-ranked passing defense (177.3 yards per game).
For a Giants unit that ranked near the bottom of the league in 2025, Wilson’s ability to maximize a secondary is exactly what Harbaugh is looking for.
Player Development is Critical
What makes Wilson an intriguing candidate isn’t just his statistical resume, but his reputation as an elite teacher. During his time with the Jets and Eagles, he oversaw the development of Pro Bowlers like Jamal Adams, James Bradberry, and Darius Slay.
Wilson’s scheme is known for its versatility—blending the heavy-pressure looks Harbaugh loves with the disciplined, split-safety coverages that helped the 2022 Eagles reach the Super Bowl.
By hiring a coordinator who understands his philosophy, Harbaugh can delegate the defensive play-calling with total confidence, knowing Wilson can evolve the scheme around stars like Dexter Lawrence and Brian Burns, while hopefully getting more out of secondary pieces such as Jevon Holland and Paulson Adebo.
The Giants Face Competition for Wilson
The Giants aren’t the only ones trying to secure Wilson’s services. Raanan noted that Wilson also interviewed with Jim Harbaugh and the Los Angeles Chargers on Friday, creating a potential “Harbaugh vs. Harbaugh” tug-of-war for the 43-year-old coach.
If Wilson lands in New York, it would likely signal a move toward a similar scheme to the one that Harbaugh deployed in Baltimore.
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