Do you remember the “Legion of Boom?” The stellar defensive backs unit curated by the Seattle Seahawks several years ago? Well, the coach who helped formulate the devastating grouping took his talents to the Dallas Cowboys, where he served as the defensive passing coordinator for two seasons. Now, he’s looking for a new opportunity, and the New York Giants could offer him the perfect landing spot.
Richards was being considered for the vacant head coaching position, leftover from Pat Shurmur, who was fired have two seasons of mediocre play (nine total wins). Joe Judge, former WR coach and special teams coordinator for the New England Patriots, was subsequently hired after the Carolina Panthers offered Matt Rhule a behemoth contract.
Richards, though, shouldn’t be overlooked for the defensive coordinator job. His influence on players like Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor, Brandon Browner, Byron Maxwell, and Shaquill Griffin, shouldn’t go unnoticed. In fact, his presence might be a determining factor for premium free agents to take their talents to the Giants if they can secure him as their coordinator.
“He’s got a great way of teaching guys in a real, clear concise manner, not like guys are having their heads spinning,” Seahawks general manager John Schneider said last offseason. “That’s probably the best way to describe it. He’s had rooms where he’s had a lot of strong, alpha personalities, and he handled it.”
The New York Giants have ammo this offseason:
With the Giants heading into free agency with $80+ in cap space and a top-five draft pick, the organization is positioned well to take a significant step forward in 2020. Factor in the influence of Saquon Barkley and Daniel Jones and Judge has all of the tools to develop a capable team with strong tendencies.
Expect changes to start happening quickly in the coming days, as Richards holds plenty of value for a team in need of a defensive coordinator.