Broncos Rumors: Kris Richard Interviews for DC Job; Rex Ryan Considered Favorite

Former Seattle Seahawks and New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Kris Richard is reportedly in the mix to be the Denver Broncos' next DC.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Richard has already interviewed for the Broncos' defensive coordinator position under new head coach Sean Payton.

While Richard is a candidate, Rapoport noted that former New York Jets and Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan is considered the favorite to land the job.

After spending time in the NFL as a defensive back, Richard broke into coaching at his alma mater, USC, in 2008 and eventually made the leap to the NFL in 2010 with the Seahawks.

Richard remained in Seattle through 2017 and served in a variety of roles, including assistant defensive backs coach, cornerbacks coach, defensive backs coach and ultimately defensive coordinator from 2015 to 2017.

Seattle won a Super Bowl during Richard's time as defensive backs coach, and the secondary was arguably the biggest reason, as the "Legion of Boom" made up of Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor and Brandon Browner led a dominant defense.

Richard took over as defensive coordinator after Dan Quinn left to become head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, and he largely enjoyed a great deal of success in that role.

With Richard at the helm, Seattle was second in total defense and first in scoring defense in 2015, and fifth in total defense and third in scoring defense in 2016. It wasn't until his third and final season as the Seahawks' DC that things dropped off a bit, as the team ranked 11th in total defense and 13th in scoring defense in 2017.

After getting fired from Seattle, Richard spent two seasons as the defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys and was then out of football for one year before returning in 2021 as the defensive backs coach in New Orleans.

Richard coached under Payton that season, and after Payton left coaching and Dennis Allen was elevated from Saints DC to head coach, Richard became co-defensive coordinator with Ryan Nielsen.

The unique dynamic worked well, as the Saints had the No. 5 overall defense in the NFL in 2022 and ranked ninth in scoring defense as well.

While Richard has earned the opportunity to be defensive coordinator again after parting ways with the Saints, the appeal of Ryan in that role is obvious as well.

Ryan was on the coaching staff for the 2000 Ravens, who arguably had the greatest defense in NFL history, and he went on to serve as their DC from 2005 to 2008.

He also had great defenses as head coach of the Jets, reaching the AFC Championship Game twice, but his defenses were only average in two seasons as head coach of the Bills in 2015 and 2016.

Ever since Buffalo fired him in December 2016, Ryan has worked as an analyst for ESPN, but there is seemingly a path to return to the NFL as the Broncos' defensive coordinator and perhaps even assistant head coach under Payton.

Richard has more recent success as an NFL defensive coordinator, but Ryan has coached NFL defenses at a high level as well and would bring more coaching star power to Denver.