Tag: kris richard

Richard Sherman reacts to still-developing Saints cornerback situation

The New Orleans Saints had been linked to free agent cornerback Richard Sherman, but he didn’t seem optimistic about signing when asked.

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Richard Sherman was linked to the New Orleans Saints in the early days of free agency, but little came of that buzz. Sherman did recently list the Saints among a group of four teams he had met with — he represents himself in free agency — alongside the two teams he’s played for (the 49ers and Seahawks), plus the Raiders.

Sherman has spoken about the lukewarm interest he’d received from teams in free agency, explaining that he doesn’t anticipate any real offers until after the NFL draft. While the picks are still rolling in, and things could change in a hurry, it appears the Saints’ third-round pick of Stanford corner Paulson Adebo could take New Orleans off Sherman’s radar. While fielding questions from fans during a Twitch streaming event, Sherman mulled the situation with the Saints.

“It’s gotta be a ‘want’ and it’s got to be a respect level with everything,” Sherman said of interest between himself and potential suitors. “So,  you know what I mean, Kris being there, they just drafted a corner. They don’t seem to me to be a ‘Y.'”

It’s unclear exactly what Sherman meant by that, but context clues suggest he doesn’t see the Saints as a ‘Yes’ in fitting what he’s looking for. He would be, at best, competing with Adebo to start in New Orleans. Considering Adebo’s talents and the coaching he’ll receive from Kris Richard, who Sherman has seen develop prospects firsthand, there are going to be more appealing destinations for him out there.

And that doesn’t even get into the contract details. If Sherman wants a starting gig and to be paid like a starting cornerback, pulling in $8 million or more per year, the Saints aren’t likely to hit on both points. It makes sense for him to consider other options at this early stage.

Maybe things look differently in a few days. The Saints could very well find the money he wants and offer him a legitimate shot at continuing to start. It’s just a situation where we’ll all have to wait and see.

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LISTEN: ESPN podcast on what Richard Sherman can teach about NFL draft

Take a listen to the ESPN podcast on what Richard Sherman can teach us about the NFL draft.

Looking for something to listen to ahead of the start of the 2021 NFL draft? How about a recap of how former Seattle Seahawks star Richard Sherman became the 25th cornerback selected in the 2011 NFL draft.

Below is the audio and episode summary for the ESPN Daily podcast hosted by Pablo Torre and guest ESPN’s Domonique Foxworth. Give it a listen!

Episode Summary:  The Seattle Seahawks drafted Richard Sherman with the 154th pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, behind 24 other cornerbacks. Ten years later, Sherman is still punishing the league for letting him fall that far, and created a legacy that will one day send him to Canton. But what did everyone miss when they were evaluating Sherman in 2011?  And why didn’t they see his potential?  On the day of the 2021 NFL Draft, Domonique Foxworth explains what Richard Sherman, the prospect, can teach us about what we’ll see during these next three days of drafting…and everything we won’t.

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Sean Payton has been a fan of Richard Sherman for a long time

New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton has been a fan of free agent CB Richard Sherman throughout his career with the Seahawks and 49ers.

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There hasn’t been much movement from the New Orleans Saints during free agency’s legal tampering period, but NFL Network’s report that they’ve shown interest in veteran cornerback Richard Sherman jumped onto the radar. The five-time Pro Bowler doesn’t just have one of his former coaches on New Orleans’ staff, in secondary coach Kris Richard; he’s got a big fan calling the shots in Sean Payton.

Back in 2014, after Sherman’s Seahawks defeated the 49ers to advance to Super Bowl XLVIII, Payton congratulated him on Twitter. And when Sherman visited the Mercedes-Benz Superdome with the 49ers for a pivotal regular season tilt in 2019, Payton gushed about the veteran.

“I think so you get everything with this player, along with between the ears,” Payton said on a pregame media conference call. “His instincts, his understanding of formations, leverage. He knows the defense cold. And his man-technique looks outstanding. I think his film has been extremely impressive. That back end group has been playing real well.”

Sherman was selected for the Pro Bowl that year, and earned enough votes for a spot on the Associated Press All-Pro second team. But a 2020 calf injury limited him to just five so-so game appearances, and now he’s a free agent before turning 33 on March 30.

That may not deter Payton and the Saints, though. They have a history of gambling with past-their-prime stars, ranging from Sherman’s one-time teammate Brandon Browner to Champ Bailey, Kurt Coleman, Adrian Peterson, and Olin Kreutz. Sherman wouldn’t be the first big name Payton targeted, though you have to hope he’d play better than his predecessors.

Still, it’s fair to wonder if Sherman would be the right addition to the Saints secondary. They need a starting cornerback after releasing Janoris Jenkins, but run more man coverage than the zone looks Sherman has played his best football in lately. Never really known for his speed, Sherman hasn’t had the wheels to compete with shiftier receivers. There are situations where he’d be a liability.

There’s an argument he could share valuable experience with young defensive backs like Marshon Lattimore and C.J. Gardner-Johnson, but is that worth paying him $9 million for a one-year rental? Sherman represents himself without the help of an agent, and earned that much annually on his last contract. He’ll have grounds to seek that kind of salary again, but the cash-strapped Saints might have to look elsewhere to invest.

Saints listed among the teams pursuing free agent CB Richard Sherman

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero listed the New Orleans Saints among the teams pursuing San Francisco 49ers free agent cornerback Richard Sherman

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There’s a surprise, splashy bit of free agent news. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that the New Orleans Saints are one of the teams looking into cornerback Richard Sherman, one of the top veteran cornerbacks on the open market. Sherman is also one of a handful of players who negotiates his own contracts, meaning the Saints would be addressing him directly during the NFL’s open negotiating window before the start of the new league year on Wednesday.

It’s unclear what sort of contract terms Sherman is seeking, or what the Saints might consider paying him. His last deal was a three-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers paying out $27.15 million, but he’ll turn 33 soon and the Saints could struggle to make the numbers work if he’s still expecting $9 million or more per year.

Still, the match makes plenty of sense. Sherman came up with the Seattle Seahawks as a cornerstone of the “Legion of Boom” defense; one of the architects of those defenses is Kris Richard, now the Saints secondary coach. On top of that, the Saints need a new starter after releasing Janoris Jenkins in a salary cap cut, so Sherman would immediately step into a prominent role with a familiar coach. Maybe there’s enough smoke here to spark a fire.

Saints listed among the teams pursuing free agent CB Richard Sherman

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero listed the New Orleans Saints among the teams pursuing San Francisco 49ers free agent cornerback Richard Sherman

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There’s a surprise, splashy bit of free agent news. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that the New Orleans Saints are one of the teams looking into cornerback Richard Sherman, one of the top veteran cornerbacks on the open market. Sherman is also one of a handful of players who negotiates his own contracts, meaning the Saints would be addressing him directly during the NFL’s open negotiating window before the start of the new league year on Wednesday.

It’s unclear what sort of contract terms Sherman is seeking, or what the Saints might consider paying him. His last deal was a three-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers paying out $27.15 million, but he’ll turn 33 soon and the Saints could struggle to make the numbers work if he’s still expecting $9 million or more per year.

Still, the match makes plenty of sense. Sherman came up with the Seattle Seahawks as a cornerstone of the “Legion of Boom” defense; one of the architects of those defenses is Kris Richard, now the Saints secondary coach. On top of that, the Saints need a new starter after releasing Janoris Jenkins in a salary cap cut, so Sherman would immediately step into a prominent role with a familiar coach. Maybe there’s enough smoke here to spark a fire.

Saints announce changes, new additions to coaching staff

The New Orleans Saints announced changes to their 2021 coaching staff, including the hiring of new assistants Kris Richard and Zach Strief.

The New Orleans Saints coaching staff is going to look different in 2021. They’ve lost a lot of familiar faces: tight ends coach Dan Campbell (hired by the Detroit Lions), defensive backs coach Aaron Glenn (joining Campbell in Detroit), quarterbacks coach Joe Lombardi (hired by the Los Angeles Chargers), and defensive assistant Michael Wilhoite (joining Lombardi in L.A.). Some of those departures were filled by in-house promotions, but the Saints have replaced others with high-profile signings. Let’s dive in to the announced changes:

Kris Richard back in Cowboys’ lives but as opposition, hired by Saints

After spending a year away from the game, Kris Richard has resurfaced to help run the Saints defense.

The Dallas Cowboys never gave Kris Richard the title of defensive coordinator. Instead they had him spend two years as Rod Marinelli’s subordinate, despite using Richard’s verbiage and him calling the plays as the passing game coordinator.

When it came time to clear house and the Garrett regime was moved out the door, Richard went as well. He had a couple interviews for head coaching gigs, including the Giants job that went to Alabama special teams coach Joe Judge, but ultimately sat out 2020. The Cowboys secondary allowed Byron Jones to walk after Richard finally put him back at outside corner to flourish and fell flat on their face without the two men in 2021. As Dallas tries a brand new defensive staff for the second time in two seasons, Richard has resurfaced in the league. He was recently hired by the New Orleans Saints to be their new secondary coach.

The Cowboys, thanks to the rotating schedule of NFC divisions, will square off against Richard’s Saints in the 2021 season.

Cowboys list of 2021 opponents, 17th-game opponent finalized

After spending two years working out how to stop Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup and Dak Prescott in practice, Richard will be charged with doing so in a live game, as well as getting his troops ready to go up against the likes of the NFC champion Tampa Bay Bucs. The question is who will be left for him to coach in that unit. Safety Marcus Williams is a free agent and many think the club could end up releasing Marshon Lattimore in a salary cap purge.

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Kris Richard on joining the Saints: ‘This is the best place for my family and I’

The Saints added former Seahawks and Cowboys assistant Kris Richard, an accomplished secondary coach and popular head coach candidate.

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How’s that for reloading? After losing several assistant coaches to the NFL hiring cycle, the New Orleans Saints made a splash in their first addition by adding Kris Richard as their secondary coach, as first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. And Richard is eager to get to work with his new team.

“It is true. I should have everything signed and sealed today. This is the best place for my family and I,” Richard told NFL insider Josina Anderson, before excusing himself to take another call. He’s a busy man today. ESPN’s Ed Werder confirmed the hiring, adding that Richard also interviewed with the Las Vegas Raiders and Houston Texans before choosing the Saints.

A protégé of Pete Carroll back to their USC Trojans days, Richard served as the Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator from 2015 to 2017 before taking on a number of responsibilities with the Dallas Cowboys in 2018 and 2019. Popular with players and coaches alike, he’s interviewed for different head coaching jobs around the league and remains a rising star in the NFL after opting out of the 2020 season.

For perspective, his worst pass defense was the 2018 Cowboys, which allowed just 234 passing yards per game. The Saints allowed 217 yards per game last season, which was their third-best average since winning Super Bowl XLIV. He should be a quality replacement for Glenn, and then some.

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Report: Saints to hire former Seahawks DC, Cowboys assistant Kris Richard

The New Orleans Saints replaced secondary coach Aaron Glenn in a big way by hiring former Seahawks DC and Cowboys assistant Kris Richard.

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NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that the New Orleans Saints have chosen their next defensive backs coach: Kris Richard, formerly of the Seattle Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys. Richard came up with Seahawks coach Pete Carroll at USC before making the jump with him to the NFL, working as one of the architects of the famed “Legion of Boom” defenses in the mid-2010’s.

Richard worked as Seahawks defensive coordinator from 2015 to 2017 before leaving for the Cowboys, where he took on a number of titles: passing game coordinator, defensive backs coach, and defensive play caller. He wasn’t retained for Mike McCarthy’s staff after Dallas fired longtime head coach Jason Garrett after the 2019 season; Richard was selective in picking his next job after a year away from football amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He was a rising star before taking a one-year sabbatical, having interviewed for five different head coaching jobs in recent years

It’s a big get for the Saints, who lost their previous secondary coach Aaron Glenn to the Detroit Lions (where he’s the defensive coordinator for first-year head coach Dan Campbell, former Saints tight ends coach). Richard has a popular reputation with his former players and, like Glenn, is a former player himself. He’ll also get the opportunity to coach against both of his former teams in 2021, with the Saints hosting the Cowboys in the Superdome while visiting the Seahawks for a road game.

So that’s a huge addition to the Saints coaching staff. It remains to be seen how they’ll replace their losses in other areas, but this is a great start.

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Report: Packers interested in Kris Richard as defensive coordinator candidate

Add Kris Richard to the list of potential defensive coordinators for Matt LaFleur and the Green Bay Packers. 

Add Kris Richard to the list of potential defensive coordinators for Matt LaFleur and the Green Bay Packers.

According to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Packers “reached out” to Richard about the team’s opening at defensive coordinator.

Richard, a long-time assistant for the Seattle Seahawks, sat out the 2020 season after not getting a coordinator job.

Between 2010 to 2017, Richard ascended the coaching ranks in Seattle, going from assistant defensive backs coach to defensive coordinator for arguably the best defense of the decade. For much of his time with the Seahawks, he worked directly under Dan Quinn, who went on to coach the Falcons and work alongside Packers coach Matt LaFleur in Atlanta.

Richard spent the 2018 and 2019 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. The former NFL cornerback is well-versed in the Cover-3 style of defense that gained popularity with “The Legion of Boom” in Seattle.

While Richard was defensive coordinator for three years, the Seahawks ranked first in the NFL in scoring defense in 2015, third in 2016, and 13th in 2017.

LaFleur’s history with Quinn, who is now the defensive coordinator in Dallas, could give Richard a real shot at being the next Packers leader on defense.

Fun fact: Richard played college football at USC under coach Paul Hackett, the father of Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.

The Packers moved on from defensive coordinator Mike Pettine last week. He was the team’s defensive coordinator from 2018 to 2020.

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