The Patriots had all the T’s crossed and all the I’s dotted, but the first pick for defensive coordinator always seemed to be right in front of them.
New England defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington is up for promotion. According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, the Patriots will “call other prospects and let them know they’ve been cut,” as “all signs” point to a move for Covington early next week.
In the end, the first interview in New England turned out to be the best. Covington was a candidate right after Patriots coach Jerod Mayo was promoted, but New England gave him some competition.
The Patriots also interviewed Carolina Panthers outside linebacker Tem Lucabu, Denver Broncos coach Christian Parker, New Orleans Saints coach Michael Hodges and Pittsburgh Steelers coach Gerald Alexander. Hodges, who worked with Covington at Eastern Illinois in 2016, is expected to be a candidate to join the New England coaching staff.
Covington’s time in New England actually predates Mayo, where he joined as an assistant coach in 2017. Mayo joined the Patriots staff in 2019 after several years of retirement. It’s clear Covington wants to be a head coach one day, just like his new boss was before joining the Patriots.
The Patriots still have spots open on offensive and special teams and are interviewing multiple candidates for each position.Covington is expected to be officially committed next week.
