Tag: kris richard

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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3 coaches ‘in the mix’ to join Broncos’ coaching staff

Joe Lombardi, Dan Roushar and Kris Richard are “in the mix” to join the Broncos’ coaching staff, according to 9News.

Denver Broncos new head coach Sean Payton has quickly started assembling his new coaching staff at Dove Valley.

After allowing Ejiro Evero out of his contract, the Denver Broncos have an opening at defensive coordinator. The team has already put in interview requests with Brian Flores and Sean Desai for the DC opening, and it’s probably worth noting that Desai told the Minnesota Vikings that he was removing himself from consideration for their DC position.

Meanwhile, three other coaches are “in the mix” to join Payton’s staff, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis: former Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi, ex-New Orleans Saints run game coordinator/tight ends coach Dan Roushar and ex-Saints co-defensive coordinator/secondary coach Kris Richard. All three coaches have worked under Payton in the past.

Elsewhere on the coaching front, Brian Schottenheimer, who served as quarterback Russell Wilson‘s offensive coordinator with the Seattle Seahawks from 2018-2020, has been hired by the Dallas Cowboys as an OC. There had been some speculation that the Broncos might show interest in Schottenheimer, but he’ll land in Dallas instead.

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

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Saints to interview former Browns defensive coordinator Joe Woods

The Saints plan to interview former Browns defensive coordinator Joe Woods for the same position. He’s worked with Dennis Allen before on the Raiders:

It didn’t take long for Dennis Allen to identify his first candidate to replace Kris Richard as defensive coordinator. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport report that the New Orleans Saints will meet with former Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Joe Woods about that opening on their staff — Woods was let go in January after three years with the Browns. CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson shares that Woods will interview with the Saints in New Orleans on Friday.

And he’s worked with Allen before, having coached the then-Oakland Raiders’ defensive backs in 2014, so there’ some familiarity there. Woods went on to find success as the Denver Broncos defensive coordinator under Vance Joseph in 2017 and 2018, and as the San Francisco 49ers defensive passing game coordinator in 2019 under Kyle Shanahan and Robert Saleh.

Things haven’t gone as well for him as a defensive play caller (it’s a big part of what got him ousted in Cleveland), but that wouldn’t be Woods’ responsibility in New Orleans. Allen still holds that responsibility after being promoted to head coach, so Woods would be more of a collaborator in much the same way Pete Carmichael was for Sean Payton over the years. That’s if his interview goes well and both sides can reach an agreement.

Allen has some work to do after eroding his defensive coaching staff. He needs a new coordinator, a secondary coach, and a defensive line coach after parting ways with Richard and letting Ryan Nielsen go to the Atlanta Falcons. His defense has been the strength of the team over the last few years, but at some point he’ll need to put time and resources into an offense that ranked tenth-worst in the NFL last year.

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Dennis Allen’s second year as Saints head coach inspiring less confidence than the first

Dennis Allen burned through his goodwill in his first year as Saints head coach. In his second year at the helm, he’s steering the ship into the rocks:

What did Dennis Allen learn from reviewing the New Orleans Saints’ 2022 season that made him draw the conclusion that blowing up his defensive coaching staff is what will fix this team? Allen burned through his goodwill in his first year at the helm as the Saints’ head coach. In his second offseason, he’s steering the ship right towards the rocks.

NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill reports that Richard was let go due to “some philosophical differences” with other members of the coaching staff, though that’s kind of vague and nebulous. Does it mean Richard has a preference for running more zone or man coverage than Allen is comfortable with? Does he want to run more two-deep safety looks than Allen will sign off on? Does it come down to philosophical team-building decisions in how they scout draft prospects? That’s unclear.

What’s evident is that Allen has his priorities out of order. The Saints offense was miserable last year. Pete Carmichael barely managed to score 19.4 points per game (22nd in the league) as offensive coordinator and play caller. On Wednesday, New Orleans’ passing game coordinator Ronald Curry told ESPN’s Katherine Terrell that the plan is for Carmichael to remain in that role with the play sheet in hand and the mic wired into his quarterback’s helmet. Instead of fixing what’s broken, Allen is putting his time and energy into starting new fires he’ll have to put out.

It’s a bad process, and believing it won’t lead to more bad results is a hard sell. That’s all the more frustrating because the Saints are in such a strong position to compete for their weak division’s title and get to the playoffs. If Allen had as much passion and interest in fielding even a league-average offense, they could get there. Instead he’s showing the door to anyone with a challenge to his authority. You want to know an easier way to keep your overqualified assistants from getting attention than dismissing them? Doing your job better and winning football games so you don’t have people asking if you were the right guy to hire as head coach.

This isn’t all to say that the Saints are doomed. They’re probably doomed with Allen mismanaging personnel this badly, but that isn’t a sure thing. He’s hired good assistants before and he could absolutely find some capable position coaches and a new defensive coordinator this week. But that’s time that could have been spent more wisely addressing the existing problems rather than creating new ones.

That’s where we are. Allen doesn’t enjoy the benefit of the doubt anymore. He must show results and get this team on track and at least post a winning record in 2023. If the Saints continue to trip over themselves and fall short of that again, he shouldn’t be back here next year.

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Saints part ways with co-defensive coordinator/secondary coach Kris Richard

The Saints have made a puzzling decision to part ways with Kris Richard, further eroding the strongest side of their coaching staff:

The New Orleans Saints “parted ways” with Kris Richard on Wednesday, as first reported by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport. It’s a puzzling decision that leaves the team without its secondary coach and co-defensive coordinator, who had shared that time with defensive line coach Ryan Nielsen last year. How did the Saints go from valuing Richard and Nielsen so strongly to name them co-coordinators to moving on from both of them in the space of a year?

Nielsen will be running the Atlanta Falcons defense in 2023; it’s unclear what Richard’s next move is, though he’s interviewed for multiple defensive coordinator openings in recent weeks. Dennis Allen held onto play-calling responsibilities after being promoted to head coach, so Richard has more opportunities to pursue elsewhere. In any rate, the Saints need a new defensive coordinator of their own, as well as new position coaches for the defensive line and defensive backs.

It’s really odd to see the Saints tear down their defensive coaching staff after their unit was the reason they won any games last year. Pete Carmichael’s offense couldn’t score even three touchdowns per game over the course of the season but he’s still holding down that job. Allen has a plan, but it’s unclear how these are the conclusions he arrived at to form it. Time will tell if it was the right course of action.

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It sure doesn’t sound like Kris Richard is in the mix for Panthers’ DC job

This could change in a hurry, but Kris Richard isn’t reported among the candidates Panthers coach Frank Reich and owner David Tepper favor for defensive coordinator:

This could change in a hurry, but new Orleans Saints co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach Kris Richard wasn’t among the candidates the Carolina Panthers are discussing for their open defensive coordinator job. CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson reports that new Panthers head coach Frank Reich and owner David Tepper have differing opinions on who they should pursue for that vacancy, with Reich wanting to bring Gus Bradley with him from the Indianapolis Colts while Tepper likes Marquand Manuel.

Richard received an interview request for this job early in January, but that was before Carolina hired Reich. And he could still emerge as a candidate if neither of these guys are an option. Bradley is still under contract with the Colts and Manuel has been linked to the Houston Texans head coach favorite DeMeco Ryans. If the Panthers strike out there, Richard makes a lot of sense. He worked with Bradley on the Seattle Seahawks and has run similar systems in the past with the Dallas Cowboys.

So there’s still a chance Richard leaves New Orleans this offseason, even if it doesn’t seem very likely right now. He doesn’t call plays with the Saints (Dennis Allen has held onto that responsibility after being promoted to head coach) but he would get that opportunity in Carolina or on another staff around the league. It’s something to watch out for in the days ahead, but you have to hope the Saints don’t lose both of their co-defensive coordinators to division rivals after the Atlanta Falcons hired Ryan Nielsen.

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Saints could lose both of their co-defensive coordinators to division rivals

The Saints could lose both of their co-defensive coordinators to division rivals if the Panthers hire Kris Richard after missing out on Vic Fangio:

There’s a really good chance that both of the New Orleans Saints’ co-defensive coordinators end up working for division rivals. Ryan Nielsen already left town for the Atlanta Falcons’ job, and the Carolina Panthers may turn to Kris Richard after missing out on Vic Fangio (who is joining the Miami Dolphins, where Richard also interviewed). Carolina requested an interview with Richard prior to naming Frank Reich their head coach and he would have more advancement opportunities with the Panthers than with the Saints.

Even if the Saints named Richard their full-time defensive coordinator, head coach Dennis Allen still calls plays for that side of the ball, but Richard would enjoy more autonomy with another team. The Panthers could offer him the headset and a talented roster to work with. He’s had success in the past as a coordinator with the Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks and once got looks as a head coach in his own right. Picking up play-calling duties again would help to restore his profile around the league.

For now, the question is whether Reich would want Richard on his staff in Carolina. He’s got several promising candidates on his radar including Gus Bradley, the former Jacksonville Jaguars head coach who worked well with Reich for several years on the Indianapolis Colts. Richard was once Bradley’s assistant in Seattle and they run a lot of similar concepts. If the Colts aren’t willing to release Bradley from his contract, maybe Reich pivots to Richard instead. Or he may just like Richard’s fit better from the jump.

But we’re getting out in front of our skis here. There are a ton of moving parts around the league and it’s very possible the Saints manage to hold onto Richard as defensive coordinator. He’s been critically important for their draft-and-develop approach in the secondary by coaching up young standouts Alontae Taylor, Paulson Adebo, J.T. Gray, and former draft picks like C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Marcus Williams. You’d like to keep him around and maintain some continuity on that side of the ball, but if Richard is determined to be a play caller again, Carolina might be his best opportunity.

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Dolphins land Vic Fangio, which has ripple effects for Sean Payton and Kris Richard

The Dolphins have landed Vic Fangio as their new defensive coordinator, which has ripple effects for Sean Payton, Kris Richard, and the Saints:

Hey, good on the Miami Dolphins for correctly identifying a weakness and acting aggressively to address it. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that the Dolphins have agreed to bring on Vic Fangio as the league’s highest-paid defensive coordinator, which creates a couple of important ripple effects for the New Orleans Saints and several coaches with ties to them.

For one thing, Saints co-defensive coordinator Kris Richard also met with Miami as a candidate for this job. The Dolphins have gone in a different direction so he’s working with fewer options if he wants to leave New Orleans. Richard has also received an interview request from the Carolina Panthers but it remains to be seen whether he’s in consideration for the coordinator job under new head coach Frank Reich.

Could Richard return to New Orleans as the full-time coordinator? He shared the co-DC title with Ryan Nielsen last season, who was hired by the Atlanta Falcons. Richard didn’t call plays defensively with the Saints (Dennis Allen held onto that responsibility) so he would have the opportunity to do that elsewhere, like in Carolina. It’s something to watch.

Another thing: Fangio was long rumored to be Sean Payton’s top pick at defensive coordinator for wherever he ends up next. Now that option is off the table, and the vision he’s proposing to teams interested in hiring him as head coach changes with it. He shouldn’t lack for qualified candidates but it is noteworthy that his plan has had to change.

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