The Cincinnati Bengals finally filled out their coaching staff on Monday, announcing that they hired Mark Carrier as the team's newest defensive backs coach and promoted Paul Guenther as the team's linebackers coach. Former defensive backs coach Kevin Coyle left for Miami to become the Dolphins newest defensive coordinator. It was also reported earlier this offseason that linebackers coach Jeff Fitzgerald wouldn't have his contract renewed.

Guenther joined the Cincinnati Bengals in 2005 and from 2006-2010, along with being an assistant special teams coach, he assisted linebackers for those five seasons. Last year Guenther helped Kevin Coyle as an assistant defensive backs coach. Marvin Lewis said of Paul Guenther's move:

"Mike Zimmer and I both have high confidence levels working with Paul."

Hopefully Guenther can get Rey Maualuga on track.

The name Mark Carrier should be familiar to older NFL fans. A former 1990 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and a three-time Pro Bowl selection (1990, 1991, 1993) as a safety in the NFL, posting 32 interceptions during his playing career, Carrier played for three teams: the Bears (1990-1996), Detroit Lions (1997-1999) and the Washington Redskins (2000).

Carrier took on his first professional coaching gig in the NFL as the defensive backs coach for the Baltimore Ravens (2006-2009) where the secondary generated 93 interceptions during those four seasons -- second-most during that timeframe. He was hired by the Jets in 2010 to coach the defensive line.

Marvin Lewis on the Carrier hire:

"Mark experienced success as a coach with two fine NFL defenses (NYJ and BAL), and he will do very well with our group."

It remains unknown who (or when) the Cincinnati Bengals will hire to become their newest defensive backs coach after the departure of Kevin Coyle, who became the Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator late last week. One suggestion we brought up during the insane coaching updates was former Dolphins Intern Head Coach Todd Bowles. Unfortunately he's no longer an option.

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The Miami Dolphins are getting to know their newest defensive coordinator, Kevin Coyle, who spent 11 seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, the last nine of which as the team's defensive backs coach. Though there wasn't obvious connections between Coyle and head coach Joe Philbin, the Dolphins newest head coach liked Coyle for his "teaching ability".

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When Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer was being courted by the Miami Dolphins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, there was a feeling that two of the team's candidates to replace Zimmer were defensive backs coach Mike Coyle and former Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio. By the time Greg Schiano was announced as Tampa Bay's newest head coach, Zimmer was assured a return with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2012 in the same capacity he's worked since 2008.

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The Miami Dolphins have hired Bengals defensive backs coach Kevin Coyle on Friday, becoming Miami's newest defensive coordinator according to NFL Network Insider Jason La Canfora. Coyle will replace Mike Nolan, who joined the Atlanta Falcons in the same function over the offseason. Coyle appeared to be a favorite for the job from the start. After NFL Network Insider Jason La Canfora reported that Miami was interested, the Dolphins were granted two interviews, the first of which took place on Wednesday. It was initially surprising that the Bengals would even allow the interview in the first place, after rejecting the Philadelphia Eagles a request for an interview last year.

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Now that the head coaching storyline is over for Mike Zimmer, Cincinnati's defensive coordinator can finally get back to doing what he does best. Beat writers Geoff Hobson with Bengals.com and Joe Reedy with the Cincinnati Enquirer obtained a few good quotes from Zimmer, who appeared to quickly deflect questions about the head coaching search, settling back into his role as Cincinnati's defensive coordinator.

About this year's defense:

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The likelihood that Bengals defensive backs coach Kevin Coyle returns to Cincinnati lessen as the minutes pass. The latest is that while Coyle hasn't been hired as the Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator, it's just as good as a done deal. NFL Network Insider Jason La Canfora confirms, saying that Coyle will likely be signed by the Dolphins on Friday.

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For nearly three weeks we've charted, calculated, speculated, monitored, theorized and most certainly updated the progress of Mike Zimmer's head coaching changes this year. We can say for certain that he only interviewed for two head coaching positions in Miami and Tampa Bay. As the storyline closes on January 26, let's take a look back at the Mike Zimmer timeline beginning with the first mention of a Zimmer possibility to become a head coach somewhere.

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