"Orr, 33, succeeded Mike Macdonald as the Ravens' defensive coordinator in 2024. The unit regressed at the beginning of his debut season, but moving Kyle Hamilton back to a traditional safety role and inserting Ar'Darius Washington into the starting lineup stabilized the secondary. This past season, Baltimore's defense had another rough start with an especially weak pass rush. Another round of midseason adjustments - including trades for Alohi Gilman and Dre'Mont Jones - yielded some results, but they did not last through the end of the season."
"Whitecotton has spent the last 13 years coaching in the NFL with the last eight as a defensive line coach for the Bills (assistant), 49ers (assistant), Jets, and Cowboys. Despite the additions of Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams to Dallas' defensive line, the unit (and the defense as a whole) still struggled in 2025. Whitecotton's familiarity with those key players, however, could upgrade his candidacy in the eyes of the team."
The Cowboys expanded their defensive coordinator search by requesting an interview with Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr and planning an interview with current Cowboys defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton. Orr, 33, took over in 2024 and saw early regression before secondary stabilization through role changes and lineup shifts; midseason trades helped briefly but results did not endure. Orr's ties to Mike Macdonald and John Harbaugh and potential free-agent status amid a Ravens head-coaching search increase outside interest. Whitecotton brings 13 years of NFL coaching, eight as a defensive line coach across multiple teams, and familiarity with key Dallas linemen that could bolster his candidacy.
Read at Pro Football Rumors
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