Former New Orleans Saints assistant coaches are reunited, per sources. NFL Insider Aaron Wilson reports that the Jacksonville Jaguars are hiring ex-Saints defensive assistant Kris Richard. This comes just a day after the Jaguars hired former New Orleans defensive assistant Ryan Nielsen as their new defensive coordinator.
Jacksonville ranked 22nd in total defense last season. They were 17th in points allowed, ninth against the run, and a lowly 26th against the pass. The Jaguars gave up 28 or more points in four of their last six games, losing five of six contests to narrowly miss the playoffs.
Richard and Nielsen were defensive coaches on the New Orleans staff for two years, in 2021 and 2022. They were co-coordinators for the defense in Dennis Allen’s first year as head coach with the team in 2022. Nielsen was defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons last season. Richard was out of football last year. The two were also collegiate teammates at USC from 1998 to 2001.
Nielsen, 44, got his first NFL coaching position with the Saints in 2017. He was the team’s defensive line coach from 2017 to 2021 under coordinator Dennis Allen and head coach Sean Payton. He was promoted to co-defensive coordinator upon Payton’s resignation and Allen’s promotion to head coach. Atlanta’s defense ranked 11th in total yardage, 18th in points allowed, and eighth against the pass under Nielsen last season.