Frazier scheduled to meet with Rams

Bruce Bisping, Star Tribune

Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier

The Vikings defensive coordinator is one of two known contenders for St. Louis' head coaching job.

By JUDD ZULGAD, Star Tribune

Last update: January 12, 2009 - 10:18 AM

Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier received some good news and some bad news this weekend in his quest to become an NFL head coach.

The bad came Sunday night when a Denver Broncos spokesman said the team has reached agreement with New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels to become the Broncos coach. An announcement of a deal between the 32-year-old McDaniels and the Broncos is expected to be made today, according to ESPN, which first reported the hiring. Frazier was believed to be a finalist for that job after interviewing last week.

The good news for Frazier came in a St. Louis Post-Dispatch report that said he is a finalist for the Rams position despite not having a preliminary interview. A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed Frazier is scheduled to meet with Rams officials on Tuesday in Los Angeles.

Frazier and Jim Haslett, who finished this season as interim coach of the Rams, are the two known finalists.

Frazier likely was allowed to skip the first round of interviews because Rams General Manager Billy Devaney interviewed him last winter for the then-vacant Atlanta Falcons coaching job. Mike Smith got the position, but Frazier left a good impression on Devaney, who was hired by the Rams last February.

The Rams continued to conduct preliminary interviews on Sunday, talking with Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan in Baltimore.

Frazier also remains a candidate for the Detroit job, but it appears the Lions might be going in a different direction.

Fox's Jay Glazer reported that Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz would arrive in Detroit on Sunday for a second interview with the Lions and that Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo was likely to get a second interview this week.

Spagnuolo became free to deal with teams about jobs after New York was knocked out of the playoffs by Philadelphia on Sunday.

John Harbaugh, a longtime assistant who has led Baltimore to the AFC title game in his first season as head coach, had endorsed Frazier for the Broncos job via the Denver Post. Asked who Denver should select on Saturday, Harbaugh said, "Hire Leslie Frazier. That's my advice."

Harbaugh is familiar with Frazier dating to when both were on the Philadelphia Eagles coaching staff. "He's a tremendous X's-and-O's coach," Harbaugh said after his team's 13-10 victory at Tennessee in an AFC divisional-round playoff game. "Players will respect him. He's a great organizer, a motivator. He's just a real good man."

If Frazier leaves the Vikings, coach Brad Childress will have to hire a defensive coordinator for the third time since taking over in 2006. Mike Tomlin was with the Vikings one year before being hired by the Pittsburgh Steelers as their head coach.