Take 5: Early candidates to be Saints’ subsequent head coach

The New Orleans Saints grew to become the second workforce to get a head begin on the NFL teaching carousel by firing Dennis Allen on Monday.

He follows Robert Saleh, who was let go by the New York Jets final month. Allen’s departure appeared imminent because the Saints dropped their seventh consecutive sport on Sunday following two wins to start the season.

Particular groups coordinator Darren Rizzi will function the workforce’s interim head coach for the rest of the season, and listed here are 5 early candidates to grow to be the Saints’ subsequent head coach within the offseason.

5. Mike Vrabel, Browns Advisor

Vrabel, 49, is spending this season as a marketing consultant for Cleveland after parting methods with Tennessee final offseason. The NFL’s Coach of the 12 months in 2021, Vrabel spent six years on the helm of the Titans. He’s extremely revered in league circles and is anticipated to be on the brief record for a number of vacancies this offseason.

4. Aaron Glenn, Detroit Lions Defensive Coordinator

As spectacular because the Lions’ offense is, Glenn has been doing an impressive job main the protection, which has continued to befuddle opponents following the devastating damage to go rusher Aidan Hutchinson. Detroit is permitting a mean of 357.1 yards per sport, however a stable portion of that’s coming in rubbish time of blowout victories. The Lions are permitting solely 18.5 factors per sport, good for sixth within the NFL coming into Monday night time.

Glenn, 52, has ties to the Saints’ franchise. After closing his taking part in profession with a season in New Orleans in 2008, he returned to function the workforce’s defensive backs coach from 2016-20 earlier than taking the reins of the Lions’ protection. The large hurdle in a possible third stint in New Orleans might be the workforce’s curiosity in an offensive-minded head coach following the failed Allen tenure.

3. Joe Brady, Buffalo Payments Offensive Coordinator

Brady has been lauded for his work with Josh Allen & Co. since taking up midseason in 2023. Regardless of deal away Stefon Diggs final offseason and Allen working with a mediocre group of extensive receivers, Buffalo is fifth within the NFL averaging 28.9 factors per sport.

Brady additionally has robust ties to New Orleans, working as an offensive assistant for the Saints from 2017-18 earlier than shifting on to grow to be the passing sport coordinator for LSU the next season. After two years because the Carolina Panthers’ offensive coordinator, Brady moved on to Buffalo in 2022. He would doubtlessly grow to be the youngest head coach within the NFL, having simply turned 35 in September.

2. Todd Monken, Baltimore Ravens Offensive Coordinator

Sticking with the offensive-minded theme, Monken presently oversees the NFL’s fourth-ranked offense by way of complete yards and No. 2 scoring offense at 31.4 factors per sport. Monken, 58, is a longtime offensive coordinator on the professional and faculty ranges. He got here to Baltimore final season after operating Georgia’s offense for 3 years, successful a pair of nationwide titles within the course of.

Monken started his teaching profession at Division II Grand Valley State in 1989 and has served stints at Notre Dame, Oklahoma State and LSU along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay Bucs and Cleveland Browns.

1. Ben Johnson, Lions Offensive Coordinator

Sure, Invoice Belichick is likely to be the most important title obtainable this offseason however nobody is shaping as much as be extra wanted than Johnson. The Lions “solely” have the seventh-ranked complete offense within the league however Detroit is frequently blowing opponents out on the energy of an offense that leads the NFL with a mean of 32.3 factors per sport.

How Johnson is within the Saints’ job might depend on the place New Orleans stacks up on the finish of the season by way of touchdown one of many high QBs within the draft and which different vacancies grow to be obtainable.

–Subject Stage Media