Falcons hire two new defensive coaches for 2018 season

The Atlanta Falcons have bolstered their defensive coaching staffs with two faces familiar to various parts of the franchise.

Former Seattle DL coach Travis Jones and former NFLUK head of football development Aden Durde have been hired as the new assistant defensive line coach and a defensive quality control assistant, respectively, per the team.

Some background on both. Jones was Quinn’s defensive line coach during his two years as defensive coordinator of the Seattle Seahawks, where he oversaw one of the most dangerous defensive fronts in the NFL. He held the position through 2016, and was with Seattle last season as a senior defensive analyst.

Funny enough, Jones started his coaching career at Georgia, his alma mater where he played, as a graduate assistant. He was born in Irwinton, Ga., and graduated from high school in Wilkinson County, so it’ll be a homecoming for Jones to be back in the Peach State. He’ll assist with Bryant Young, the team’s main DL coach.

As for Durde, he worked with football players from other countries to help them get ready for NFL careers through the league’s NFLUK program, which, as the presser notes, included Falcons TE Alex Gray. He’s also interned with the Dallas Cowboys, and has played as a professional linebacker in various leagues, including two brief stops in the NFL with the Panthers and Chiefs. He’ll join Charlie Jackson and Jess Simpson as a defensive assistant.

Jones’ addition is fairly impressive with his experience, as he’ll work with Young to help Atlanta’s defensive front further grow. Perhaps Durde’s addition will give Gray, a guy firmly on the roster bubble heading into 2018, another advocate in the building as he tries to stick around.

So, let’s welcome these new coaches to Atlanta. We’ll have more additions to the Falcons fold once draft weekend rolls around, unless a free agent or two get in on the fun before then.