Bill Belichick, Top HC Targets for Saints After Dennis Allen Fired
The New Orleans Saints are now in the market for a new head coach, and one candidate in particular may have started polishing his résumé.
New Orleans announced Monday it fired Dennis Allen in the midst of its seven-game losing streak. Special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi will serve as the head coach on an interim basis.
The Saints are in an interesting juncture. They've long resisted a full rebuild and might pursue a successor to Allen who can deliver immediate results.
But it might be time to finally tear it down in the Big Easy with the payroll in 2025 projected to be $77.4 million over the salary cap, per Spotrac. In that case, a younger head coach who has a long-term vision in mind would be the smart play.
Surveying the landscape, these targets could be on New Orleans' wish list.
Bill Belichick
Given how the 2024 NFL hiring cycle played out, the league might have moved on from Bill Belichick despite his lofty reputation.
The New England Patriots' declining fortunes after Tom Brady left didn't reflect well on the 72-year-old, and the word of mouth from team owner Robert Kraft this past spring probably did him few favors.
Still, it only takes one desperate franchise to give Belichick another shot, and the Saints could fit that bill. This is the same organization that gave Derek Carr a $150 million contract.
Hiring Belichick would fit with how general manager Mickey Loomis has operated for the most part.
Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn
The Detroit Lions were fortunate enough to retain both of their coordinators this offseason but may not be so lucky this time around.
The Lions rank fourth in offensive DVOA and third in defensive DVOA, per FTN Fantasy. Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is overseeing a dynamic attack, while Aaron Glenn is guiding a suffocating defense on the other side of the ball.
The Athletic's Mike Sando spoke to an NFL coach who said the Lions' 24-14 victory over the Green Bay Packers symbolized their adaptability, which is thanks to the coaching staff.
"Have we transformed to where Green Bay with its well-manicured coach looks like they should be in a dome while tough, red-faced Dan Campbell looks like he should be the one on the frozen tundra?" the coach said. "Because the 'rug' team (Lions with an indoor stadium sporting artificial turf) was the one securely handling the ball in the cold rain with 15 mph wind."
Once again, Johnson and Glenn figure to be the subject of coaching rumors once the regular season is concluded.
Bobby Slowik
Bobby Slowik's stock might have lowered somewhat with the Houston Texans offense not taking a big step forward in 2024. The unit ranks 17th in points (22.3) and 10th in yards (348.1).
C.J. Stroud is also averaging 237.7 passing yards, down from a league-high 273.9 in 2023, while his QBR is marginally down from 57.5 to 56.2, per Pro Football Reference.
Like Johnson, Slowik would nonetheless be a good fit for the Saints to either maximize what he can from Carr or groom a younger passer to be the next franchise QB. His success with Stroud is a testament to his coaching abilities.
Mike Vrabel
The allure of hiring a head coach with a 54-45 career record and three playoff appearances in six years largely speaks for itself. Mike Vrabel has already proved himself in the role and would be a relatively safe hire for New Orleans.
His return to the coaching ranks, be it in the NFL or college, is all but inevitable as well.
As with Belichick, Vrabel should be near the top of Loomis' list if he's trying to wring what he can out of the current roster.
Granted, the power struggle between Vrabel and Tennessee Titans general manager Ran Carthon may not bode well given how influential Loomis is behind the scenes.