The Dallas Cowboys search for a new defensive coordinator ended up being a short one. Less than a week after firing Mike Nolan they have now named Dan Quinn as their new DC according to multiple reports.
Source: The #Cowboys have an agreement for Dan Quinn to be their new DC
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 11, 2021
Dan Quinn is an interesting hire in my opinion by the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys defense will revert back to the 4-3 scheme, much like they ran under the tutelage of Rod Marinelli. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but far from the hybrid scheme they were trying to adapt to under Mike Nolan.
With Dan Quinn now taking over as a defensive coordinator it's logical to believe we will see several more firings and hirings in the upcoming weeks. Some of Dallas' defensive coaches may be retained, but Quinn will likely try to bring people aboard he's more familiar with and has possibly worked with in the past.
Hello Kris Richard!
Dan Quinn and Kris Richard were both coaches with the Seattle Seahawks during their Legion of Boom days. Quinn was the defensive coordinator and Richard was the defensive backs coach. It's not completely impossible to think they could both reprise their roles with the Dallas Cowboys.
Surprisingly enough, Kris Richard still has a rather large fan base around Cowboys Nation. Many wanted him named as the DC after Jason Garrett and his coaching staff was fired after the completion of the 2019 season. Sadly that didn't happen, leaving him to sit out the entire 2020 season without a job.
Despite sitting out the entire 2020 season Richard's name has resurfaced for other DC openings around the league. He's rumored to have interviewed with the Las Vegas Raiders, but nothing has been finalized as of yet. While he awaits a decision, a call from Dan Quinn could entice him to return to Dallas.
There are no guarantees Kris Richard can land a DC job this offseason. That's especially true considering he didn't coach at all last season. That kind of lack of interest could help sway him into rejoining the Dallas Cowboys organization to help them rebuild and upgrade their secondary.
This of course is all speculation though. The ties between Kris Richard and Dan Quinn are there, however, that doesn't necessarily mean a reunion is in the works. It is something to keep an eye on though until Quinn finally does finalize his defensive coaching staff.
