Saints looking to fill coaching vacanices as Colts hire Bruce Arians

Success in the NFL often leads to many spoils for a franchise — lucrative sponsorship deals, fame, and money — with the added bonus of transforming the team into a place top player’s want to play, and top coach’s want to coach.

But it can also have a downside as teams that may not be so successful start poaching free agent players and coaches from the more successful teams, like the Saints, in an effort to re-vitalize their struggling franchises.

This offseason the Saints coaching staff garnered league wide attention for several coaching vacancies.

Everyone seemed to want a piece of what the Saints have — success — but whether they find it or not is still up to debate.

Offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr. was wanted for an interview with the Oakland Raiders for their vacant head coaching position.

Carmichael stepped out of the shadow of Saints head coach Sean Payton this season when to he took over play calling duties once Payton went down with shattered knee after a freak sideline accident.

Suddenly the NFL saw that there may actually be serious potential to Pete, not just a man behind Payton.

Oakland though never had the chance to site down with Carmichael face-to-face, and instead plucked a different apple off Payton’s coaching tree when they hired Broncos defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, who was New Orleans former secondary coach prior to his stint in Denver.

The Indianapolis Colts were also interested in Carmichael as a head coach, but they hired Chuck Pagano instead, stealing him away  from the Baltimore Ravens after one season as their defensive coordinator.

Indianapolis was also interested in speaking with the Saints offensive line/running backs coach Aaron Kromer — he too never interviewed.

Rick Reiprish, New Orleans Director of College Scouting, was linked to the Colts, not in a head coaching capacity, but as a general manager candidate.

Of course the Colts would hire Ryan Grigson away from the Philadelphia Eagles to become their new GM.

New Orleans dodged several bullets in retaining these key members of the personnel, but they still have several coaching vacancies they must fill in the next month.

Secondary coach Tony Oden, assistant special teams coach John Bonamego, and wide receiver coach Curtis Jackson are no longer with the team.

Oden and Bonamego both left to join the staff of the Jacksonville Jaguars under new head coach Mike Mularkey. Oden will hold the same position in Jacksonville, but Bonamego is taking over as the full time special teams coach.

Jackson was hired by Tulane University to become the new head coach towards the end of the NFL’s regular season.

The Saints have stayed quite on what they plan to do to replace these coached, but it’s likely they will look to promote internal staff before looking outside the organization.

In Indianapolis head coach Pagano has made one more move towards assembling his coaching staff, hiring former Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians in the same capacity.

Arians contract was not renewed by Pittsburgh after he converted then from a run first offense into a pass heavy unit.

Rumor has it the Steelers owner Art Rooney wasn’t pleased with the culture change and desired a move back to a power run game.