Kelvin Sheppard

Sheppard, a former linebacker during his eight-year playing career, has served under former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn for the previous four seasons as the linebackers coach in Detroit. He now gets the promotion to defensive coordinator after spending just four seasons as an NFL coach. He has large shoes to fill considering the successes brought forward from Glenn, but the franchise clearly sees something in the former standout player, enough so to give him his first shot at coordinator duties.

The 33-year-old ended his 107-game playing career with Detroit in 2018 and spent 2020 as the director of player development at LSU. He's getting his feet wet in the coaching ranks and joins first-time coach Dan Campbell's staff under first-time DC Aaron Glenn.

Along with running back Bobby Rainey, the Giants signed the former Dolphins linebacker. Before spending 2014 and 2015 in Miami on one-year contracts, Sheppard had his best season in 2012 with 80 combined tackles in Buffalo. He is known as a better linebacker in pass coverage than run support, so he has lost some snaps, but he should be able to help out New York's weak pass defense.

Sheppard has been a solid linebacker for the Dolphins this season and on Sunday he totaled a season best 15 tackles to give him 61 on the year as he narrows in on his career best 80 tackle season from 2012.