Mike Zimmer Watch: Bengals Defensive Coordinator Interviews With The Buccaneers On Monday

Reports surfaced on Friday that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were granted permission to interview Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. According to NFL Insider Jason La Canfora with the NFL Network, that interview will take place on Monday. The Buccaneers were also granted permission to interview Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski.

Other candidates in Tampa Bay includes former Packers head coach Mike Sherman, former head coach Marty Schottenheimer and former Vikings head coach Brad Childress. Titans defensive coordinator Jerry Gray and Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell are on Tampa Bay's radar.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk also reports that "there's increasing chatter in league circles that the Dolphins are presently leaning towards" Mike Zimmer, even if Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin could be hired now that Green Bay was eliminated by the New York Giants on Sunday.

If Zimmer is hired away from Cincinnati for either job, the Bengals will have to initiate their own hunt for a defensive coordinator.