Keep an eye on former Seattle defensive coordinator Kris Richard for the Falcons

Kris Richard spent three years as the defensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks, taking over immediately after Dan Quinn was hired away by the Atlanta Falcons. For reasons that had something to do with his coaching and a lot more with declining and injured personnel, Richard’s defenses declined from the heights they reached under Dan Quinn, especially in 2017. It was enough to get him fired.

That shouldn’t hurt his stock that much, however. Richard was the defensive backs coach from 2012-2014, helping to cultivate the legendary Legion of Boom, and did a fine job as a coordinator as well. He should be in high demand, even with some of the openings on the market already filled.

Hypothetically, though, what happens if Richard doesn’t get a defensive coordinator job? As ESPN’s Vaughn McClure notes, it’s natural and logical to connect Richard to Dan Quinn and the Falcons. Richard was the defensive backs coach during Dan Quinn’s tenure in Seattle, he worked alongside Marquand Manuel, and he’s a former defensive back himself. Quinn loves putting together an All-Star coaching staff—some would say he relies too heavily on them, or delegates overmuch—and Richard would be another quality addition. Considering there aren’t exactly vacancies on the staff at the moment, I’m not sure what he’d do in Atlanta, but I also am not comfortable entirely ruling it out.

Whether McClure has some sort of off-the-record insight that’s inspiring him to bring this up, or he’s simply connecting the dots, I can’t say. What I do know is that I wouldn’t be shocked to see Richard make it to Atlanta if his market doesn’t heat up.