Tag: kris richard

Dennis Allen comments on Saints’ split with Kris Richard, new DC Joe Woods

Saints head coach Dennis Allen commented on his split with Kris Richard, and talked up his new defensive coordinator Joe Woods as a ‘great relationship builder’

One of the more surprising moves of the New Orleans Saints offseason thus far was the team’s divorce with co-defensive coordinator Kris Richard. When the coach he shared that title with, Ryan Nielsen, left town for the full-time gig on the Atlanta Falcons it appeared that Richard would be an easy choice to take over in New Orleans.

Instead, Richard and the Saints agreed to part ways. He’s still searching for his new position around the NFL. Allen brought in former Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Joe Woods for the same role in New Orleans, as a coach he’s worked with before and who shares many of his coaching philosophies.

Allen gave some insight on the reason behind that split at the NFL combine this week, telling SI.com’s John Hendrix: “Kris was a guy that I think was an outstanding football coach, but I just think we probably had a little bit of a difference in maybe how we view doing things and maybe some difference of opinion in terms of personnel and those types of things. Just felt like it was a good point to go ahead and move on and give him an opportunity to move on also.”

Richard is highly respected around the league, but it’s worth noting that his secondary experienced some issues last season. They only intercepted 7 passes in 2022 after picking off 18 of them a year earlier. There were problems manning the slot throughout the season, with C.J. Gardner-Johnson’s initial replacement Justin Evans benched in favor of veteran backup Bradley Roby — and when Roby went down with an injury, the Saints scrambled to sign Chris Harris Jr. off the street as a insufficient fill-in. By season’s end, four different defenders logged 100-plus snaps in the slot: Roby, Harris, Evans, and Tyrann Mathieu.

That’s just one area the Saints may have felt they could improve by moving on from Richard. Whether or not Woods is the answer remains to be seen, but it’s worth noting that he’s had success in this role before as Vance Joseph’s coordinator with the Denver Broncos (as will be the case in the fall, Woods didn’t call plays; Joseph did then, and Allen will continue to do so now). And Allen is eager to work with Woods again after having teamed up with him in Oakland a decade ago.

“Smart, detailed, great relationship builder,” Allen gushed of his new defensive coordinator. “And so I thought that was I thought that was important in that in that position. You know, and really kind of creating that coach to player kind of bond. I think a lot of times people say, ‘Well, he’s player’s coach,’ and that he’s got this negative connotation that he’s soft or whatever, and it’s really more about taking a personal interest in each and every player, and I think Joe does a great job of that.”

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Broncos coaching staff update: Strength coach hired, QBs coaches interview

The Broncos interviewed Greg Olson (not to be confused with Greg Olsen) as a QBs coach, hired a strength coach, and lost their WRs coach.

Slowly but surely, Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton has been building his new coaching staff at Dove Valley.

The latest addition to the staff is Dan Dalrymple as the team’s new strength and conditioning coach, according to a report from NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill. Dalrymple previously held the same role with the New Orleans Saints under Payton.

Elsewhere on the coaching front, the Broncos recently interviewed Greg Olson (not to be confused with Greg Olsen) and Kerry Joseph for the quarterbacks coach position, according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports. Olson has since been hired by the Seattle Seahawks as a QBs coach.

Denver will also need to find a new wide receivers coach after Zach Azzanni left the team to join the New York Jets in a lateral move, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. Azzanni, who coached the Broncos’ WRs over the last five seasons, will reunite with Nathaniel Hackett, who is now the offensive coordinator in New York.

Denver’s own offensive coordinator position remains unfilled, but it’s not a crucial hire for the Broncos given that Payton will run the offense. The team’s defensive coordinator job will be a crucial hire, though, and Denver has several candidates.

Vance Joseph, who has already interviewed with the Broncos, is scheduled to interview with the Philadelphia Eagles on Wednesday and Thursday, according to KMGH-TV’s Troy Renck.

In addition to Joseph, Rex Ryan is also a DC option for Denver, as are Kris Richard, Mike Zimmer and in-house candidate Christian Parker.

We are tracking all of the Broncos’ coaching staff moves on this page.

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Broncos coaching staff update: DC interviews, OC drops out

Vance Joseph and Kris Richard are DC candidates, Ronald Curry is no longer an OC candidate, and Klint Kubiak has left to join the 49ers.

Fans waiting to see the Denver Broncos’ finalized coaching staff under new head coach Sean Payton will probably have to wait at least until next week.

On the defensive coordinator front, Vance Joseph has been released from his contract with the Arizona Cardinals, and he is expected to interview with the Broncos today. Joseph is also expected to interview with the Philadelphia Eagles for their DC opening.

Denver also recently interviewed Kris Richard for its DC position, according to NFL Network, but Rex Ryan is considered the favorite to get the job.

Meanwhile, on the offensive side of the ball, Ronald Curry is expected to remain with the New Orleans Saints after drawing interest from the Broncos as an offensive coordinator candidate.

In addition to seeking a new OC, Denver will also need to hire a new quarterbacks coach after Klint Kubiak left to join the San Francisco 49ers. The Broncos seem unlikely to fill all of their open positions this weekend, so the process is presumably set to drag into another week.

In the third phase of the game, Denver is expected to add Ben Kotwica as the new special teams coordinator. Mike Westhoff will presumably join him in a senior special teams role.

We are tracking all of the team’s coaching changes on this page.

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Broncos interviewed former Saints coach Kris Richard for DC opening

It isn’t much of a surprise, but the Broncos have interviewed former Saints coach Kris Richard for their defensive coordinator opening:

It isn’t much of a surprise given all of the obvious connections here, but the  Denver Broncos have interviewed former New Orleans Saints coach Kris Richard for their defensive coordinator opening, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Rapoport adds that Richard is seen as more of a runner-up to ESPN analyst Rex Ryan, who is viewed as the favorite for this role on Sean Payton’s new coaching staff.

Richard was hired by Payton as the Saints defensive backs coach in 2021, and he was promoted to co-defensive coordinator status in 2022 while sharing that title with Ryan Nielsen. But they both left Dennis Allen’s staff in 2023 when Nielsen was hired away by the Atlanta Falcons, with Allen choosing to install Joe Woods as defensive coordinator.

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Broncos coaching staff update: Mike Zimmer buzz and more

The Broncos appear to have six candidates for their DC job, and three more coaches might be on their way out. Here’s the latest.

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton is busy assembling his coaching staff at Dove Valley, and there might be some developments this week.

After losing Ejiro Evero, Payton has interviewed six defensive coordinator candidates, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. In his report yesterday, Klis mentioned four names specifically, and we can probably guess the other two.

Klis said the Broncos have interviewed Sean Desai, Kris Richard and in-house candidate Christian Parker. Klis also said he has “heard some noise” about Mike Zimmer, who has coached with Payton in the past. That tracks with Albert Breer’s Monday story that said Zimmer has been connected to Denver.

That’s four candidates. So who are the other two?

Rex Ryan interviewed with the Broncos last week, and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Sunday that Philadelphia Eagles linebackers coach Nick Rallis “is a potential candidate” for Denver’s defensive coordinator job.

It appears that Desai, Richard, Parker, Zimmer, Ryan and Rallis are the candidates to replace Evero. The Broncos were previously connected to Vic Fangio and Brian Flores, but they both took jobs elsewhere.

Elsewhere on the coaching front, Denver might lose a few coaches this week. Offensive quality control coach Ramon Chinyoung has already left to join the Dallas Cowboys, according to Klis.

Broncos quarterbacks coach Klint Kubiak is also drawing strong interest from the Houston Texans, according to GallerySports.com’s John McClain. Kubiak has been in hot demand this offseason, and he seems unlikely to remain in Denver.

Meanwhile, Broncos wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni has already interviewed with the Buffalo Bills, and he’s set to talk to the New York Jets today, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. There’s still a possibility that Azzanni could remain in Denver, but he will have options.

Payton is expected to begin announcing additions to the coaching staff this week. We are tracking the changes on this page.

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Report: Saints hire former Cardinals defensive backs coach Marcus Robertson

The Saints are reportedly hiring former Cardinals defensive backs coach Marcus Robertson. He brings a strong resume and connections with Dennis Allen and Joe Woods:

Here’s another new addition to the New Orleans Saints coaching staff: Arizona Football Daily’s Mike Jurecki reports that the Saints are bringing in former Arizona Cardinals defensive backs coach Marcus Robertson, who was previously linked to the team by CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson. Robertson has a strong resume with 12 years as a player in the league and several years working in player development before he turned to coaching.

He also has some connections with Saints head coach Dennis Allen and defensive coordinator Joe Woods. Robertson was Woods’ assistant under Allen on the 2014 Oakland Raiders squad, and he later joined Woods on the Denver Broncos beneath head coach Vance Joseph (where they coached up Bradley Roby, who now plays for the Saints). He brings a lot of energy and insight to the coaching staff, which should be a welcome injection after the team moved on from secondary coach Kris Richard and defensive assistant Cory Robinson this offseason.

This is a good hire, even if it’s drawing some criticism for Allen getting his old Raiders team back together (in addition to Woods and Robertson, he’s working to acquire quarterback Derek Carr). But his back is against the wall in 2023 after the 2022 season turned into a big disappointment. Sink or swim, Allen is surrounding himself with his own coaches. His secondary only intercepted 7 passes last season and 2 of them came from backup safety Daniel Sorensen. If these new assistants can help the Saints make more plays on the back end and give their offense more opportunities to close out games, it will have been worth it.

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Cardinals assistant Marcus Robertson in consideration for Saints DB coach job

Cardinals defensive backs coach Marcus Robertson in consideration for Saints secondary coach/passing-game coordinator, per CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson:

This is interesting. CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson reports that the New Orleans Saints are considering Arizona Cardinals defensive backs coach Marcus Robertson as an addition to Dennis Allen’s coaching staff. They have an opening for a secondary coach after parting ways with Kris Richard earlier this offseason, Anderson adds that Robertson’s title would be secondary coach and defensive passing-game coordinator.

He has a couple of connections to the Saints coaching staff — Robertson worked as the assistant to Joe Woods as the defensive backs coach under Allen on the 2014 Raiders, and he and Woods continued to work together on the Denver Broncos until the Cardinals hired him away in 2019. Woods was recently brought in as the new Saints defensive coordinator so it makes sense for Allen to surround himself with coaches he’s comfortable working with. His job has to be on the line in 2023, so he should build a staff that shares his vision and coaching philosophies. If he’s going out, go out on his own terms.

Defensive assistant Cory Robinson ran the Saints defensive backs room in 2022, but he let his contract expire after the season and may be looking for better opportunities. If he chooses to not return in 2023, it makes sense for the Saints to look at experienced candidates like Robertson. Before he started his coaching career in 2007, he spent four years working as the Tennessee Titans’ director of player development — and before that, he started for 12 years as an NFL free safety and won All-Pro recognition with the Houston Oilers in 1993. He would bring a valuable veteran’s presence to the defensive coaching staff if the Saints can reach an agreement with him.

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3 former Saints assistants ‘in the mix’ to join Sean Payton’s Broncos staff

Former Saints assistants Joe Lombardi, Dan Roushar, and Kris Richard are reportedly in the mix to join Sean Payton on the Broncos coaching staff:

It isn’t too surprising that Sean Payton is pulling from the years of connections he made with the New Orleans Saints to assemble his staff on the Denver Broncos. Payton is bringing Saints assistant offensive line coach Zach Strief with him to work with the Broncos blockers up front, and KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis reports that three other former Saints assistants are “in the mix” for jobs on Payton’s new coaching staff.

Two of them were just recently let go by second-year head coach Dennis Allen: co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach Kris Richard as well as run-game coordinator and tight ends coach Dan Roushar. They aren’t alone, though. Let’s dive a little deeper into the names Klis reports are in consideration in Denver:

Report: Saints assistant Cory Robinson’s contract is up, may coach elsewhere in 2023

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that New Orleans Saints defensive assistant Cory Robinson’s contract has expired, and he may coach elsewhere in 2023:

This might be concerning. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that New Orleans Saints assistant coach Cory Robinson is a free agent after letting his contract expire following the 2022 season. Robinson has coached the secondary in New Orleans and managed the defensive backs room last year. He recently worked at the Senior Bowl, coaching several safety prospects on the American Team roster.

Robinson should have options. He could go join Aaron Glenn on the Detroit Lions defense or get a look with Sean Payton on the Denver Broncos, or get a fresh start entirely somewhere else. Depending on where Kris Richard goes next, Robinson may join him. He’ll be a highly sought-after coach given how well the Saints pass defense has performed in recent years.

Letting go of a talented young coach feels like a mistake. At the same time, you can’t fault Robinson for pursuing better opportunities. If he can get a bigger role on another team on the rise, he owes it to himself to chase it. There’s still a chance he returns to New Orleans as an assistant on Dennis Allen’s staff, but the decision to hire Joe Woods as Richard’s replacement at defensive coordinator makes him a de facto secondary coach given his resume.

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Saints to hire former Browns and Broncos DC Joe Woods

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that the Saints are expected to hire former Browns and Broncos defensive coordinator Joe Woods for the same position:

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that the New Orleans Saints are expected to hire former Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Joe Woods for the same position; Woods interviewed with New Orleans last week after the team moved on from co-defensive coordinators Ryan Nielsen and Kris Richard. He was dismissed from Cleveland after a three-year run in which the Browns defense ranked 20th, 13th, and 21st in points allowed and 14th, 5th, and 17th in yards allowed. Woods previously worked as a defensive assistant on Dennis Allen’s 2014 Raiders team.

So what will Woods’ role be with the Saints? NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill says they will continue to run Allen’s scheme, and that he’ll remain the defensive play caller with Woods serving as his “top assistant” while spending a lot of time with the secondary. Woods has often coached defensive backs throughout his career so it makes sense for him to replace Richard in that space.

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero adds that Saints assistant coach Cory Robinson is a free agent after his contract expired. He ran the defensive backs room last year and recently coached safety prospects at the Senior Bowl, so if he doesn’t return that’s another job Woods could fill, or he could bring in his own assistant. The Saints may also choose to re-sign Robinson. Stay tuned for updates.

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