That means that Foxboro is going to have a busy Friday. The Patriots plan to interview two more applicants for the position of defensive coordinator, according to NFL Network.

The first of those contenders is Christian Parker, the defensive backs coach for the Denver Broncos. In two of the previous three seasons, Parker assisted the Broncos in being among the top 10 in total defense. During that time, their secondary, which includes talents like safety Justin Simmons and cornerback Patrick Surtain II, has been a huge strength.

Prior to joining the Broncos in 2021, Parker, 32, worked with the Green Bay Packers as a defensive quality control coach in 2019 and 2020. In the college ranks, he also served as a defensive analyst at Notre Dame in 2017 and Texas A&M in 2018.

Michael Hodges, the linebackers coach for the New Orleans Saints, is the other contender in addition to Parker. For four straight seasons, Hodges has been in charge of a defense that placed among the top 10 in terms of points allowed. A credit to Hodges’ coaching, linebacker DeMario Davis has emerged as the Saints’ most potent defensive player during that time.

In 2017, Hodges, at 37, made his debut with the Saints as a defensive assistant. After that, he advanced to the position of assistant linebackers coach in 2019 and, after Mike Nolan’s departure in 2020, main linebackers coach.

Tem Lukabu, the linebackers coach for the Carolina Panthers, was the first candidate the Patriots interviewed earlier in the week for the position of defensive coordinator. After working as the defensive coordinator at Boston College from 2020 to 2022, Lukabu, 42, has ties to the region.

At 37 years old, Mayo is the youngest coach in the league, therefore it would appear that he prefers to have younger staff members. More significantly, though, it appears that Mayo is going for experienced player developers.

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