It was only a matter of time, really. Since becoming the defensive line coach for the New Orleans Saints in 2017, Ryan Nielsen has been held in high regard across the coaching landscape. Almost infamously poached by the LSU Tigers just a few years ago, Saints fans knew that eventually the defensive line coach turned co-defensive coordinator would leave for a bigger opportunity. Finally, that day has come.
Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Nielsen has been hired by the division rival Atlanta Falcons to be their defensive coordinator. Earlier this offseason, Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said that the club would not prevent coaching staff members from getting accelerated offers. Certainly co-coordinators Nielsen and Kris Richard were in mind when he mentioned that. Although, as co-coordinators, the Saints could not have blocked the incoming interview requests, anyway. Nielsen also interviewed with the Minnesota Vikings for their open position while Richard received interviews with the Carolina Panthers and Miami Dolphins. The Saints may be able to offer Richard the solo defensive coordinator role to keep him in the Big Easy.
For the Saints, their next move will be to lessen the ripple effect that comes with a defensive coordinator being poached from their team within the division. Along with the news that Nielsen would be hired by Atlanta, they also announced the firing of several position coaches. That means Nielsen could look to bring some of his New Orleans colleagues with him. As if the Falcons weren’t already getting a good one as is. Since the former NC State defensive coordinator arrived in New Orleans, the Saints’ defense has piled on 40 or more sacks each season and has been (up until 2022) a top run defense as well.
Another potential impact here is that the Saints have many free agent defensive lineman set to hit the market this offseason. Defensive end and former first-round draft pick Marcus Davenport along with several interior defenders like David Onyemata, Shy Tuttle, Malcolm Roach and Kentavius Street. Nielsen could lead an exodus of defensive line talent northeast from New Orleans to Atlanta. Losing a talented defensive mind to the hated Falcons will be a tough pill to swallow, but talent following him from the roster would make that pill even more bitter.
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Story originally appeared on Saints Wire