Predicting the Las Vegas Raiders 2021 defensive coaching staff

Assistant Head Coach of Defense, Secondary Coach – Kris Richard

Kris Richard is another name linked to the Raiders, and he has already interviewed for the defensive coordinator position. Incredibly similar to Gus Bradley, both are passionate coaches with a track record of developing late draft picks into stud defensive players.

Richard also coached in Seattle with Bradley, and assumed the vacant defensive coordinator position after Bradley left to be the Head Coach of the Jaguars. That being said, Bradley’s aforementioned track record within the AFC West will likely be the deciding factor between the two.

Richard decided not to coach in 2020 after the Cowboys coaching staff was let go in 2019. He has been on record stating his desire to be a defensive coordinator in the NFL, and that being his first priority. That being said, those jobs are hard to come by, and Richard’s absence from the NFL last season doesn’t bode well for his chances of landing his preferred job.

The Raiders may have to appease him by granting him an extra title like Assistant Head Coach of Defense, or Pass Game Coordinator to sweeten the deal for him to come on board. What better way for him to make a statement that he deserves to be a defensive coordinator than to coach all the high draft picks the Raiders have accrued in the secondary, certainly more untapped talent than most of his previous destinations.

If Bradley is the defensive coordinator, Richard would have the benefit of coaching in a familiar scheme.

For much of the last three years, the Raiders defensive backfield has simply looked lost. Richard would immediately inject discipline and proven technique that turned late round picks Richard Sherman, and Kam Chancellor into perennial pro bowl players.

Honorable Mention: Ron Milus