Redskins: 5 defensive-minded coaches to target if they part with Jay Gruden

Richard is becoming one of the hotter names on the coaching market. Richard was the man responsible for making the Legion of Boom in Seattle. And now, he’s on his way to building an excellent defense in Dallas.

Since the mid-point of the season, the Dallas defense has been red-hot. They limited the Saints to 10 points in a Thursday night clash, and their defensive backs have been playing excellent in coverage. Richard’s performance and coaching have played no small part in the improvements of the Dallas defense.

Richard also comes with plenty of experience managing solid defenses in Seattle. He had two top-five units and one that barely fell outside the top-10 in his three years as the Seattle defense. He was rumored to be a potential head coaching candidate at many times, but instead, Seattle went in a different direction and that’s what led Richard to Dallas.

You can see the development from the young corners in Dallas, and that can be attributed to Richard. Chidobe Awuzie, Jourdan Lewis, and Anthony Brown have all rounded into quality players and have radically improved as this year goes along. If they continue to play at this level, that will make Dallas a playoff contender. Props to Richard for being able to help turn that defense into an excellent unit.

If Richard came to the Redskins, his main role would be to improve the secondary. They have a lot of young talent there, and Richard could help unlock their potential. He might be able to relate to the younger guys on the squad, and he could help the young defensive line to improve as well.

Basically, if you look at his track record, Richard is a proven developer. He helps younger players find success. Washington could definitely use that and if they poach talent from a divisional rival, that would be a plus. That’s what makes Richard such an intriguing candidate.