The Bengals have requested permission to interview Rams cornerbacks coach Aubrey Pleasant for their defensive coordinator position, Mike Jones of USA Today reports.
New coach Zac Taylor came from the Rams, where he was the quarterbacks coach.
Jack Del Rio, Dom Capers and Mike Nolan are among the names previously linked to the Bengals and the defensive coordinator job. Unlike those veteran coaches, Pleasant has no experience as a coordinator, but he is considered one of the rising stars in the profession.
He spent four seasons in Washington before joining the Rams in 2017.
Pleasant was an offensive assistant in his first season in Washington before transitioning to the defensive side of the ball.
He began his coaching career in the high school ranks before going to the University of Michigan. His first job in the NFL was in Cleveland as offensive staff/head coach intern.