With their recent success under defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, teams across the league are showing interest in some of the Cleveland Browns’ defensive assistants.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that the Colts have interviewed Cleveland safeties coach Ephraim Banda for their vacant defensive coordinator position. Indianapolis parted ways with former defensive coordinator Gus Bradley after finishing a disappointing 8-9.
The #Colts interviewed #Browns safeties coach Ephraim Banda today for their defensive coordinator job, per source.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 10, 2025
Although safety hasn’t been the strongest position group for the Browns, the team has excelled at developing young players under Banda’s guidance. The growth of undrafted free agents D’Anthony Bell and Ronnie Hickman into reliable rotational players stands out as a testament to his coaching.
Banda joined the Browns in 2023 alongside Schwartz for his first NFL coaching role. Before that, he served as safeties coach at the University of Miami from 2016 to 2018 and was promoted to co-defensive coordinator for the following two seasons. He spent the last two years of his collegiate coaching career as Utah State’s defensive coordinator.
