The Los Angeles Chargers will likely be on the hunt for a new defensive coordinator this offseason, with Jesse Minter slowly becoming one of the hot head coaching candidates of this cycle.
With a number of desirable openings available, Minter's success coaching the Chargers defense over the last two seasons will almost certainly land him a job. They are also on the search for an offensive coordinator after moving on from Greg Roman.
Therefore, it is likely that Los Angeles will look to maintain continuity on the defensive side of the ball. Jim Harbaugh, in a press conference on Thursday, indicated they will look both internally and externally for Minter's replacement when he ultimately departs.
Chargers GM Joe Hortiz on DC search if Jesse Minter leaves: “I think you gotta look internally and externally.”
— Alex Insdorf (@alexinsdorf99) January 15, 2026
HC Jim Harbaugh: “It’s not a question of if, it’s a question of when…We’ve been preparing for that.”
While they will certainly interview external candidates, any knowledge of Harbaugh's mentality tells you that he would prefer to hire someone he trusts. This leaves current defensive backs coach, Steve Clinkscale, as the most likely candidate for the job.
Chargers will take a hard look at what they have in-house to replace Jesse Minter
After two seasons at Michigan with Harbaugh, Minter was carried over to the Chargers staff. He has found immense success since he returned to the NFL, elevating a relatively inexpensive Los Angeles defense into a top-10 unit in both of these seasons.
He has done so relying on a zone-heavy scheme: one that mixes coverages and maximizes the talent they have on the field.
Clinkscale, who worked under Minter both years at Michigan and also was carried over to the NFL level, has been an integral part of this. As defensive backs coach, he has routinely elevated cost-effective players into valuable starters in the secondary.
Even just this season, both Donte Jackson and Tony Jefferson became instrumental for the Chargers defense. Jackson's cap hit in 2025 was just $4.5 million, and Jefferson was essentially out of the league before Los Angeles signed him in 2024.
He's also gotten great contributions out of safety R.J. Mickens, who was a sixth-round pick in last year's draft, and Cam Hart, who was a fifth-round pick in 2024.
The Chargers desperately need their existing defensive talent to be maximized, and Clinkscale has a proven track record of his ability to accomplish that goal.
Therefore, if Los Angeles is looking for someone who can continue and even innovate upon Minter's scheme, Clinkscale would be the obvious choice. It is now merely a matter of whether Minter leaves this offseason or next.