DeMeco Ryans Arizona Cardinals coach speculation: Interview set with 49ers assistant

While Sean Payton has received a lot of attention as a candidate for the Arizona Cardinals' open head coaching job, another candidate is picking up steam as the NFL franchise's next potential head coach.

San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans.

Could Ryans be the next coach of the Cardinals?

Check out some of the latest speculation surrounding him and Arizona.

More:Arizona Cardinals' next coach odds: Brian Flores surges in odds to replace Kliff Kingsbury

DeMeco Ryans expected to interview with Cardinals this week

NFL Media's Tom Pelissero reported Thursday that 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans is expected to interview with the Cardinals this week.

Ryans' 49ers host the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Divisional Round on Sunday.

The coordinator is in high demand for interviews in this NFL coaching cycle. Pelissero also reported that Ryans was going to interview with the Indianapolis Colts sometime this week, and NFL Media's Ian Rapoport reported that he is also interviewing with the Denver Broncos and Houston Texans this week.

One set of recent odds put Ryans at +750 to become the Cardinals' next head coach, fifth on its list.

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Fansided: DeMeco Ryans would be a mistake for Cardinals

Jim Koch writes: "At the current time, it would be a disastrous move by the Cardinals to hire a candidate like Ryans. Quarterback Kyler Murray regressed (at least in the win column) in 2022, and any future success that the organization may experience depends heavily on straightening out the erratic signal-caller. Unfortunately, Arizona is basically stuck with Murray after they handed him a $230.5 million contract-extension last summer. Due to the fact that Murray is going nowhere in the near future, it would behoove the Redbirds to bring in a head coach who can get the 25-year-old signal-caller back on track. ... It would be foolish to think that a former professional linebacker like Ryans would be able to get Murray and the rest of the offense’s play back to an elite level."

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ESPN: DeMeco Ryans expected to meet with Cardinals this week

Adam Schefter reported that DeMeco Ryans is expected to meet with the Arizona Cardinals sometime before the San Francisco 49ers' game against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.

Pro Football Network: DeMeco Ryans No. 1 in Arizona Cardinals head coach candidate rankings

Dalton Miller writes: "Good NFL players rarely ever become good NFL coaches. That is not the case for DeMeco Ryans, one of the few former Pro Bowlers to become a difference-making play-caller at the highest level. It shouldn’t be surprising to see Ryans’ defenses be so detailed. Nick Saban has always been at the forefront of defensive innovation at the college level, even back in the early 2000s when Ryans played under him."

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The Arizona Republic: DeMeco Ryans' head coach candidacy heats up

Jose M. Romero writes: "After defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans and his San Francisco 49ers unit held the Seattle Seahawks without a meaningful point in the second half of the 49ers' 41-23 wild card playoff win Saturday, Ryans became an even hotter head coach candidate. This from the NFL Network's NFL GameDay show prior to the start of Sunday's wild card games. The Cardinals joined the Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos and Houston Texans as teams that requested permission to speak with Ryans and can interview him in person starting Tuesday, and the network reported that those interviews will take place toward the end of the week."

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SB Nation: Signs point to DeMeco Ryans for Arizona Cardinals coach

Walter Mitchell writes: "While Michael Bidwill has been focusing in on interviewing GM candidates, it is noteworthy that he has asked for permission to interview DeMeco Ryans. Bidwill must sense that to woo DeMeco Ryans he would have to act quickly, as Ryans has become as ripe an NFL head coaching candidate as a fluffy Georgia peach. One would imagine that for the 49ers fans, they would like to see the organization do everything it can to keep Ryans in Palo Alto. One can also imagine that the last thing 49ers fans would want to see would be Ryans signing with the Cardinals, or any other division rival, for that matter."

More:Arizona Cardinals' next coach odds: Brian Flores surges in odds to replace Kliff Kingsbury

Action Network: DeMeco Ryans' odds to be Arizona Cardinals coach rise

The site currently has Ryans at +500 to become Arizona's next head coach, only behind Sean Payton (+300) and Vance Joseph (+350).

It writes of his candidacy for the Cardinals: "That’d be DeMeco Ryans, who’s morphed into one of the hottest head-coaching commodities in the NFL. Ryans has been putting on a clinic as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator. They lead the league in scoring against (16.3) and are tied for third in yards per play allowed (5.0) entering the postseason."

More:Arizona Cardinals teammate slams Kyler Murray's contract extension: 'Created a monster'

Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Cardinals DeMeco Ryans coach speculation: Interview set for DC