The New Orleans Saints went into the 2022 season with two coaches sharing defensive coordinator duties, and now both of them will be coaching elsewhere in 2023, Luke Johnson of the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports. 

According to a league source, the Saints are letting co-defensive coordinator Kris Richard go, ending a two-year relationship with the coach who primarily worked with the defensive secondary. The NFL Network was the first to report the news.

The Saints' other co-defensive coordinator, Ryan Nielsen, accepted a position to serve as the Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator last week. Both coaches were allowed to interview elsewhere, because though they held the coordinator title, head coach Dennis Allen is the defensive play-caller. 

Richard joined the Saints prior to the 2021 season, bringing excellent credentials along with him. He rose to prominence as a young coach with the Seattle Seahawks, working with the "Legion of Boom" defense. He also had experience as a defensive play-caller with both the Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys.

Last season, New Orleans finished with the NFL's No. 2 pass defense, allowing just 184.4 yards per game through the air. It was the best per-game passing total allowed by a Saints defense since 2006. New Orleans allowed only one 300-yard passer in 2022 while limiting five opposing starters to 135 or fewer yards passing.

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