Cardinals Gaining Momentum With Aggressive DC

The Arizona Cardinals need a defensive coordinator — one insider says look out for this name.

Dec 25, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Giants defensive coordinator Don Wink Martindale against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The Arizona Cardinals' search for a defensive coordinator wages on after several top names have been erased from the team's list, creating a sense of urgency for first-year head coach Mike LaFleur to find a suitable play-caller quickly.

Perhaps that's Wink Martindale, a veteran defensive coordinator who is apparently linked to Arizona according to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport.

"Obviously they need to figure out the defensive side of the ball, I know Gus Bradley was in the mix there before he went to Tennessee. Wink Martindale, former Giants defensive coordinator, would be another name to watch as far as his staff," Rapoport said.

Full clip:

From Super Bowl Live: The #AZCardinals hired Mike LaFleur, who now faces a big QB question; The #Broncos promoted Davis Webb to OC, plus the #Bears now need a coordinator. pic.twitter.com/2VjQ4p7uWM

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 3, 2026

READ: Mike LaFleur Didn't Try to Win the Cardinals' Press Conference

Names such as Bradley, Anthony Weaver and Raheem Morris were all considered ideal candidates to run Arizona's defensive side of the ball before taking jobs elsewhere.

It's not as if the Cardinals didn't try, however. SI.com's Albert Breer reports Arizona offered more money to Bradley along with complete defensive play-calling duties before he chose the Titans.

Martindale certainly fits the bill of what the Cardinals quietly covet around LaFleur, which is a veteran and seasoned coordinator to help with LaFleur's transition into the head coach role for the first time. He previously ran defenses for the New York Giants, Baltimore Ravens and Denver Broncos.

"We are casting a wide net," LaFleur said when asked about targeting coordinators and if they're looking for anything specific. "There's conversations that need to be had within this building, first with the coaches and all that. So we're going to be open to that, and again, we owe it to these players to build the best staff that we can for these guys."

Martindale has been Michigan's defensive coordinator the past two seasons at the college level.

Martindale is known for his aggressive nature, dialing blitzes up more than any other coordinator in the league during his stint with the Ravens (2018-21). The will to send the house hasn't gone away, either.

The Cardinals' defense vastly underperformed in 2025 despite having majority of offseason resources allocated to that side of the ball, though some would argue injuries played a big role in their drop-off from 2024's performance.

We'll see if Arizona can salvage any names as we're near the end of the hiring cycle. Watch for guys such as Los Angeles Rams passing game coordinator Aubrey Pleasant and Texans secondary coach Dino Vasso.