There is not a New Orleans Saints fan who has watched this team over the last few years, and wants to see Mickey Loomis in power. This team has spiraled since the departure of Sean Payton, and the finger has primarily been pointed at Loomis as the catalyst. That being said, Gayle Benson has made her intentions with Loomis crystal clear.
Fans don't have to like it, but Loomis isn't going anywhere, not that that's a shocking update. Matter of fact, Benson knows fans won't like it. She told NOLA.com's Jeff Duncan, “It may not be what the fans want to hear, but as far as firing Mickey Loomis, that’s ridiculous."
Well that settles that. At least she knows fans don't want to hear that. It's not because people just don't like Loomis, though he's dodged reality by insulting fans. It's because he's done a poor job constructing this team since the 2017 draft class, and he hired Dennis Allen. It's because the Saints have sunk to a standard of mediocrity. Benson was right about it not being what fans want to hear, but she's off base about it being ridiculous.
Kellen Moore is Mickey Loomis' saving grace as Saints general manager
The odds of Loomis getting fired are obviously low. The owner just called it "ridiculous," so that tells you everything you need to know. However, Kellen Moore should be Loomis' final swing. It'll be his second head coach post-Sean Payton. The success of this should determine the future of Loomis.
If Kellen Moore is a successful coach, it'll mean Loomis finally rectified his biggest shortcomings. The Saints would be good again, so fans are less likely to call for his job. It would obviously mean he hired the right guy, something that didn't happen with Allen. Additionally, it would mean the Saints built a significantly better roster.
That would mean making better moves in free agency and drafting better, both moves that would be reflective of Loomis. There's young talent on this team with chances to develop, but there is still a long way to go, and Loomis will have to integral to that roster construction. This year's draft class was a great start, and the Saints will need more of that moving forward.
Maybe most importantly, Moore being a success would finally give Loomis the ability to say he saw success without Payton. He can't do that right now, and eventually, Benson is going to be unable to ignore that.
It's hard to fire a GM in the first year of a rebuild. Loomis just got his new coach, so we'll show him patience. That patience, however, shouldn't extend beyond this coaching regime.