According to a report, the Atlanta Falcons will be evaluating the entire coaching staff and making changes as they see fit. The article states that the Falcons will be looking to move on from offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian and defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel. Manuel led this team to its best defensive season (2017) in many years. However, in 2018, the defense has regressed and exposed many problems for the Falcons to fix next year. The following are three dream defensive coordinator options if Atlanta does decide to let go of Manuel.
Kris Richard
Richard is currently the defensive backs coach for the Dallas Cowboys who are known for having stellar defensive play this season. Dan Quinn has ties to Richard, as Richard rose through the ranks of the Seahawks staff, starting as an assistant defensive backs coach in 2010 and going until 2017 when he was last the defensive coordinator. Richard is most notably known for manning the Seahawks aptly named “Legion of Boom” that terrorized the league a few years ago. The Falcons need a coach who isn’t afraid of being aggressive and won’t take his foot off the gas. If they want to improve their defense significantly Richard is the guy to go after.
Steve Wilks
Wilks is currently the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals but there is a report floating around that he will be fired at the end of the season. This shouldn’t be indicative of his coaching ability, as he was dealt a miserable hand with a talent-depleted Cardinals roster and has only coached the team for a single season. In 2015, Wilks was a runner-up for PFF’s secondary coach of the year award. After that, he became the defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills and has been a hot commodity for teams ever since. Wilks is a veteran that could coach up the Atlanta Falcons to play to their potential.
Todd Bowles
Bowles is currently the head coach of the New York Jets but after two lackluster seasons that could change. As a defensive coordinator in 2015, he was voted AP’s Assistant Coach of the Year. Bowles led a stifling Cardinals defense to a 21-11 combined record in his years as their defensive coordinator. If hired by the Falcons, it would signal a change in their defensive scheme from a 4-3 to a 3-4 base. This could benefit some players that have come from a 3-4 defense in college, like Vic Beasley who is most useful when standing up and rushing.  It remains to be seen if Bowles will actually be let go as he signed an extension last season, but if it does happen, expect the Falcons to give him a call.