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5 defensive coordinator candidates the Las Vegas Raiders need to hire

By Brad Berreman

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 29: Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips of the Los Angeles Rams walks on the field during pregame warm up for the game against the Arizona Cardinals at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 29, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 29: Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips of the Los Angeles Rams walks on the field during pregame warm up for the game against the Arizona Cardinals at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 29, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports /

Former Cowboys Defensive Backs Coach. . 3.. player. 123. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Kris Richard

After spending the 2018 and 2019 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, as defensive backs coach and eventually the defensive play-caller (under Rod Marinelli), Richard is not working in the league this year. Before that he worked under Pete Carroll at USC and with the Seattle Seahawks, working his way from assistant defensive backs coach (2010) to defensive coordinator (2015-2017) in the latter location.

In each of his first two seasons as Seattle’s defensive coordinator, the Seahawks were top-5 in the league in scoring and total defense. A fall out of the top-10 in each category in 2017 (11th in yards allowed; 13th in points allowed) led to Richard being fired. With the bottom-end results Seattle’s defense has had much of this year, perhaps firing Richard was a short-sighted move.

Richard has gotten multiple looks as a head coaching candidate the last couple years. It was his choice to sit out this season after interviewing for multiple jobs, and it was not related to COVID-19.

Via USA TODAY:

“It’s kind of like knowing your worth, knowing your value,” Richard told USA TODAY Sports. “What’s the difference between the two? Do they coincide? Are they interchangeable? Cutting through all of that, I wasn’t willing to take anything less than I am. I know what I am and I know what I am capable of.”

Richard was somehow not offered a defensive coordinator job after the 2019 season. The Raiders should easily right that wrong after this season, among multiple teams who should have interest.

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