Last month, PFT reported that Seattle defensive backs coach Kris Richard will end up being the defensive coordinator in Atlanta or Seattle.
It won’t happen in Atlanta, where Richard Smith is the defensive coordinator and Raheem Morris will coordinate the efforts to defend against the passing game. It hasn’t happened yet in Seattle, but it’s currently expected to occur.
Per a league source, new Falcons coach Dan Quinn tried to get Richard to come to Atlanta, and Richard chose to stay put, with a better deal and, at a minimum, strong consideration for the promotion to Quinn’s former position.
Richard has strong ties to Seahawks coach Pete Carroll and to the Seahawks. As a player, Richard arrived in Seattle as a third-round pick 13 years ago. As a coach, he joined the franchise with Carroll in 2010, after two years of coaching with Carroll at USC.
Another source said Wednesday that the Seahawks are still working through the process of identifying a new defensive coordinator. If not Richard and if the Seahawks remain in house, the other options are linebackers coach Ken Norton Jr., defensive line coach Travis Jones, and defensive passing game coordinator Rocky Seto.