Seattle Seahawks: 5 coaches who could be Pete Carroll’s replacement

5. DeWayne Walker

Walker has been a relatively under the radar coach in the NFL and NCAA for three decades. He is currently the DB coach for the Cleveland Browns, a role that he has held for three seasons going into 2020. His most important roles in this context are his ties to Pete Carroll, being a former Patriots DB coach (1998-2000), and a former DB coach for USC in 2001.

Every year that Walker was in those roles except 2000 he was led by then-Patriots and USC head coach Pete Carroll. Walker was said to be Carroll’s first hire when he got the job at USC. If Walker is to become the next head coach of the Seahawks, the route that he would take would be getting the Seahawks defensive coordinator job if Ken Norton Jr is fired, and then doing well enough for Carroll to talk the Seahawks front office into hiring him as head coach.

Norton’s seat definitely has a flame under it after his first two seasons as defensive coordinator, with average 2018 stats and terrible 2019 stats, so a change might be coming soon. The one caveat that puts Walker low down on my list is his age, as he will be turning 60 before the 2020 season ends, but Vic Fangio (60 at the time he was hired) and Ron Rivera (58) both found head coaching jobs recently at similar ages.

If everything can work out in Walker’s favor, a great 2020 for the Browns secondary, the Seahawks DC spot coming open, and then Carroll staying on for a few more years, Walker could be seeing himself in charge in Seattle.