Former Bengals made it easy for DB coach Vance Joseph to choose

Many years ago it would have seemed unlikely that the Cincinnati Bengals would have two coordinators promoted as head coaches, with two coaches ready to advance into coordinator positions and another position coach being groomed for the eventual promotion.

Talk about stock piling.

Defensive backs coach Vance Joseph is the newest riser on Marvin Lewis' staff, who had just offered farewells to former assistants Jay Gruden and Mike Zimmer to head coaching positions. Almost immediately after each coach was announced, the team replaced with in-house candidates while plugging holes with familiar reputations. Matt Burke was hired as the team's linebackers coach after a strong recommendation from former Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz.

Yet, Lewis coveted former Houston Texans coach Vance Joseph so much that instead of making him an assistant to the defensive backs coach, as has been the system since 2002, he brought him to share duties with incumbent Mark Carrier.

Thanks to former Cincinnati Bengals players and coaches, it was an easy choice for Joseph.

"Johnathan (Joseph) was very high on both Marvin Lewis and (new defensive coordinator) Paul Guenther. That’s what made it a quick decision after I was offered the job," Joseph said via the Cincinnati Enquirer. "(Former Bengals secondary coach and Dolphins defensive coordinator) Kevin Coyle gave me a call yesterday and also assured me I was making a good move."

He'll have fun.

Leon Hall, the second part of the great Joseph/Hall duo through 2010 (who peaked in 2009), will return from an Achilles injury (though all things being equal, there's a bit of an unknown with his future). Adam Jones had his best season in a Bengals uniform last year and Dre Kirkpatrick is a big ball of clay for someone like Joseph to mold.

"It is an experienced secondary, which makes it fun because you can implement more things," Joseph said.