PALM BEACH, Fla. — Frank Reich has carried an extra assistant coach on the offensive side of the ball the past couple of seasons.
The position was designed to be creative, to find things from outside the system that could fit, to help Reich’s system evolve. First Kevin Patullo, then Press Taylor played the role.
Reich saw the same role expanding in defenses around the NFL. A former coworker, Jim Schwartz, helped Tennessee get more out of its defensive line; Mark Duffner has been an invaluable resource for Lou Anarumo in Cincinnati.
When Matt Eberflus left for Chicago, Reich saw a chance to move the extra position on offense to the defensive side of the ball, a move that new defensive coordinator Gus Bradley supported.
TRADE WINNERS, LOSERS:Breaking down Matt Ryan’s move to Indianapolis
OPINION:Colts GM Chris Ballard doesn’t panic, but it’s almost time to do that
The Colts hired former Panthers, Broncos and Bears head coach John Fox, a man who first made his name as the Giants defensive coordinator, to be their senior defensive assistant.
“The people who he’s been with, coached with, the systems that he’s coached, I think, will be a great complement to Gus,” Reich said. “Our goal with John coming in is not for him to bring his system to us, it’s for him to come in, learn our system and then contribute some of his experience and how it can fit with our system.”
Indianapolis, led by Reich and Bradley, talked to several candidates — Reich declined to offer names, saying only that the Colts talked to some “pretty accomplished people” — before deciding that Fox was the best fit for Bradley.
“This was a role I really wanted to hire,” Reich said. “I’ve seen this role working in some other teams, I’ve talked to some other head coaches about how this worked for them.”
Fox, 67, comes from a different defensive background than the Seattle Three tree that Bradley developed under Pete Carroll with the Seahawks.
Reich has always valued the ability to be multiple, knowing that a system that does only one thing is easier for opposing coordinators to attack and exploit.
Bradley feels the same way. Although he’s long been known for the Cover-3 approach, that scheme has shifted considerably over the years, most notably from a zone that was landmark-based (players cover a spot) to a match principle (a zone that ends up looking like man for some of the defensive backs based on the routes run).
“I talk about it on the offensive side of the ball all the time: ‘How do we put a seed of doubt in the defense’s mind?’” Reich said. “The same is true on the other side of the ball. How do we put a seed of doubt in the offense’s mind?”
Fox’s background is in quarters coverage: Four defensive backs deep, each handling a quarter of the field. Because of that, Fox can see Bradley’s defense in a different light, help Bradley find more ways to make his scheme harder to attack.
“That’s exactly what I see: How is it going to evolve,” Reich said. “Gus is going to lead the way on that. … It might be a little bit of an evolution, it might be a lot. Probably be a little bit the first year, we’re probably going to do what we do, but I think getting John in is going to help us.”

source