PHOENIX -- It doesn't take a magnifying glass and a fingerprint kit to figure out which way Arizona Cardinals coach Bruce Arians is leaning toward for his next defensive coordinator.

During a SiriusXM NFL Radio interview Tuesday from the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, Arians all but said he's picked out Todd Bowles' replacement.

"We kinda know the coordinator job," Arians said. "It's just putting the right pieces with him."

Who might "him" be?

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Late Tuesday night, Fox Sports' Alex Marvez reported that the Cardinals were close to hiring former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau as their linebackers coach to replace the departed Mike Caldwell, who joined Bowles, the former Cardinals defensive coordinator, with the New York Jets.

Landing LeBeau would be a major piece of the defensive coordinator puzzle. It also, in my opinion, tips the scale in one direction. I don't think Arians would hire the 77-year-old veteran LeBeau if he's going to hire a veteran coordinator. That would be a pairing ripe for disaster: the coordinator would have his own philosophy and scheme, and LeBeau would have his. Conflict and disagreements would almost be a guarantee.

For those reasons, I think defensive backs coach Nick Rapone won't be the defensive coordinator.

Since it's likely the Cardinals would remain in house, all signs point to a young coach on staff, such as outside linebackers coach James Bettcher. At 36, the dynamic between Bettcher and LeBeau, who would still be counted on as a trusted voice in leading the defense, would be similar to the offense, where assistant head coach for offense Tom Moore, 76, mentors the younger offensive coordinator Harold Goodwin, 41, and quarterbacks coach Freddie Kitchens, 40.

Arians values the experience and years of knowledge older coaches bring to his staff. He also trusts young coaches. Combining the two, in Arians' eyes, is coaching harmony.

But there's still a wild card at play. Where does Mike Nolan, the Atlanta Falcons' defensive coordinator who the Cardinals are interested in interviewing, fit in? Does he at all? Nolan could be the defensive coordinator or the assistant head coach for defense. If Arians stays in house and promotes Bettcher, Arizona would be in need of an outside linebackers coach. Does Nolan go from a defensive coordinator to a linebackers coach?

Even if LeBeau is close to being hired, there's still a lot to figure out.

"We'll announce all that probably in the next week so," Arians said.