The 2024 regular season is just about done. With the New Orleans Saints finishing the campaign short of a postseason berth and a current head coaching vacancy, the next few weeks are sure to be eventful.
Earlier this season, the Saints of course made the necessary decision to fire head coach Dennis Allen (finally) and now face a crucial offseason decision ahead. This is an organization which has set itseful up for tough offseasons in the near future, particularly in the financial department.
The next head coach is going to have to be someone who can maximize the players on this roster, and specifically players who aren't going to be paid all that much. Without any financial flexibility, the Saints are going to be dependent upon the guys currently under contract in addition to rookies and low-cost free agents in the months ahead.
The task at hand, now, is finding the right individual for the job. While interim head coach Darren Rizzi is well-respected within the building and might still have his shot at keeping the gig, there are more likely candidates to be hired.
More Saints news:
In a recent column written by NFL insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Media, the two of them laid out some current intel for teams with head coaching vacancies and others who may soon have one as well. When it came to the Saints, the insiders spelled out exactly which way general manager Mickey Loomis is leaning in this search:
"The feeling in league circles is that general manager Mickey Loomis will lean toward someone he knows, with Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn -- who narrowly lost out to Allen last time around -- a frequent name mentioned."
Aaron Glenn headlines a list of vastly different candidates for the Saints
First of all, Glenn would be a clear leader at the moment. Of course, he almost had the job last time around if the Saints hadn't given it to Allen. He seems to be the favorite, based on many reports and rumors lately.
Glenn has done a wonderful job with the Detroit Lions defense in simply keeping them afloat while they've endured more injuries than one can count, it seems. The defense has been playing guys off the street, the later the season goes on, and yet they continue to win football games and make plays.
Other than Glenn, Rapoport and Pelissero also included a few names like current Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy and Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady, who are completely different types of course, with Glenn being a defensive mind.
That's the big question, when it's all said and done. Will the Saints go with an offensive or defensive mind? The team has big question marks on both sides of the ball, so which side will be prioritized? Or, will it be more of the cliché of finding that "leader of men?"
For now, it appears Loomis could be leaning toward Glenn. And, quite frankly, that might end up being the right call.