HEADLINES

Cory Robinson

Jaguars Make Final Changes To 2024 Staff

February 25th, 2024 at 7:09pm CST by Ely Allen

The Jaguars were one of several teams that were forced to make adjustments to their coaching staff, most notably after parting ways with defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell and company. The new staff under Caldwell’s successor, former Falcons defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen, has been finalized, as have a few updates to the offensive side of the ball, as well.

On defense we were already aware of the hires of defensive backs coach Kris Richard and inside linebackers coach Matt House, as well as the retention of assistant defensive line coach Rory Segrest, outside linebackers coach Bill Shuey, and defensive quality control coach Patrick Reilly. We had originally reported that Cory Robinson would be joining the staff as the team’s cornerbacks coach, but the team’s update tells us that, more specifically, he will be a defensive assistant and cornerbacks coach.

To round out the new defensive staff, the team has hired Jeremy Garrett as their new defensive line coach, Michael Gray as assistant secondary coach and defensive analyst, and Mario Jeberaeel as assistant outside linebackers coach. Garrett replaces Brentson Bucker, who was fired alongside Caldwell. He has NFL experience with the Browns and most recently worked at the collegiate level with Auburn and Liberty. Gray and Jeberaeel both follow Nielsen from Atlanta. Gray joined the Falcons last year as a football analyst, while Jeberaeel came into the title of special projects: defense coach last season.

On the offensive side of the ball, Jacksonville announced the hires of running backs coach Jerry Mack and offensive quality control coach Jamel Mutunga, as well as the promotion of former offensive quality control coach Greg Austin to assistant offensive line coach. Mack replaces Bernie Parmalee, who took the same position with the Panthers after being fired alongside Caldwell. This will be Mack’s first NFL coaching gig after spending 20 years coaching at the collegiate level. Most recently, Mack coached a Volunteers team at Tennessee that finished top-12 in rushing yards per game twice in his three years.

Austin takes the position of Todd Washington, who also was let go with Parmalee and Caldwell. Mutunga takes his spot in quality control after serving as an offensive assistant with the Panthers last year. His first year of experience came in 2022, when he was the inaugural recipient of the Tony Dungy Diversity Coaching Fellowship in Indianapolis.

That sets the stage in Duval for the 2024 season. A few adjustments on offense and a changing of the guard on defense define the early portion of Jacksonville’s offseason. It will be worth watching to see if a new defensive staff can help a young Jaguars squad take the next step in the new league year.

Jaguars To Hire Kris Richard, Cory Robinson

January 26th, 2024 at 1:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Spending this season without an NFL gig, Kris Richard will again be paired with Ryan Nielsen in 2024. The two former Saints co-defensive coordinators are reuniting in Jacksonville.

The Jaguars are adding Richard to their staff, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. The two worked in New Orleans together from 2021-22. Richard is best known for his time as the Seahawks’ defensive coordinator, and that tenure has helped keep him on HC carousels. The 44-year-old assistant, who interviewed for the Raiders’ HC job this month (though, he did not appear a serious candidate), will resume his career as the Jags retool on defense.

While Richard’s time as Seahawks DC lasted three seasons, he was in Seattle for the Legion of Boom’s entire run. Rising from assistant DBs coach to cornerbacks coach to DBs coach to DC, Richard was the most consistent non-Pete Carroll presence on those coaching staffs. The Earl Thomas–Richard Sherman–Kam Chancellor mentor has not followed Gus Bradley or Dan Quinn up the ladder, but he has continued to be a regular on defensive staffs since his Seattle stay wrapped in 2018.

The Seahawks finished four straight seasons as the NFL’s top scoring defense, following only the 1950s Browns by accomplishing that over a four-season stretch. Coaching in two Super Bowls as a DBs instructor, Richard was in place during the last of those seasons (2015). The Seattle defense has not reached those heights since, and it has trended downward since Richard was fired following the 2017 season. Richard spent two seasons with the Cowboys (2018-19) before resurfacing in New Orleans. This season marked Richard’s second year off in the past five, however; he did not coach during the 2020 campaign.

The Jags are also hiring Cory Robinson as cornerbacks coach, Wilson adds. This continues the Saints reunion shaping up in Jacksonville. Robinson spent the past season with the Tennessee volunteers but worked under Nielsen and Richard with the Saints in 2022 as assistant DBs coach. Robinson held that role in New Orleans for three years.