Report: Cardinals request to interview Rams’ Aubrey Pleasant, 2 others

The Arizona Cardinals reportedly requested interviews with three current NFL coaches for their defensive coordinator job: Los Angeles Rams defensive passing game coordinator Aubrey Pleasant, New York Giants linebackers coach Charlie Bullen and Houston Texans defensive backs coach Dino Vasso.

The Los Angeles Chargers previously requested to interview Pleasant for their vacant DC position on Jan. 22, while Bullen was an in-house candidate for New York and also interviewed for the Cowboys’ DC job.

Sports Illustrated NFL reporter Albert Breer mentioned Vasso as a possible option for Arizona on Tuesday.

Pleasant, a Michigan native, spent the last three seasons with new Arizona Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur in L.A., serving as the defensive passing game coordinator (2024-25) and defensive backs coach (2023).

Pleasant contributed to a 2025 Rams defense that ranked 10th in points allowed (20.4) and fifth in total takeaways (26). Los Angeles’ passing defense finished 19th in yards allowed per game (216.7) while allowing 26 passing touchdowns.

Bullen is a familiar face in Arizona, as he was the Cardinals’ assistant linebackers coach (2019) and outside linebackers coach (2020-22). After one year in the college game with Illinois, he spent two with the Giants.

Bullen was promoted to interim defensive coordinator in 2025 after Shane Bowen was fired midseason.

Vasso spent the past four seasons with Houston as its cornerbacks coach (2021-23) and defensive backs coach (2024-25).

The Texans boasted the No. 1 total defense during the 2025 regular season, only surrendering 277.2 total yards per game. Houston’s passing defense ranked sixth (183.5 yards per game) while its rushing defense was fourth (93.7) and among five teams that didn’t allow an average of 100 or more yards per game.

Vasso previously was with the Philadelphia Eagles from 2016 to 2020 as their assistant secondary coach.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport on Tuesday also mentioned Wink Martindale as a name to watch as a DC hire for Arizona.

LaFleur already made a coaching staff move with Nathaniel Hackett, who spent three seasons under his older brother Matt in Green Bay, coming in as offensive coordinator.

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