5 replacements for Bob Sutton as Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator

2. Marvin Lewis

Lewis lasted 16 seasons as Cincinnati Bengals’ head coach, before finally being let go after this past regular season. If he wants to coach again immediately there may have been opportunities out there, but he was not prominently mentioned as a candidate to be a defensive coordinator or head coach anywhere. At 60 years old Lewis may be ready to sitting out a season in 2019, or he might eventually retire from coaching altogether and not look back.

It may have to be a unique opportunity for Lewis to coach next season, and it’s unclear if he’d see Kansas City as that. His extended run as Bengals’ head coach leaves it as an unknown if he can be a capable defensive coordinator now, but Lewis took over defensive coordinator duties after firing Teryl Austin and Cincinnati allowed 24 points or less in four of the final seven games this season (and in two of the last three).

Right or wrong, Chiefs’ fans may see a lot of the same concerns attached to Sutton in Lewis. But he should be on the list of candidates Andy Reid is considering, and there’s a chance Lewis can author a turnaround for Kansas City’s defense with the talent he’d have at his disposal.