The New Orleans Saints head coaching search is in full swing, with the team conducting a series of interviews to identify the right candidate to lead the franchise into its next chapter. So far, the Saints have completed virtual interviews with Aaron Glenn and in-person interviews with Mike Kafka. Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, a rising star with ties to the Baltimore Ravens, has also emerged as a potential candidate after being interviewed by the team.
Other notable developments include confirmed interviews with Kellen Moore, Kliff Kingsbury, and Joe Brady, all of whom bring unique perspectives and experiences. Interim head coach and special teams Coordinator Darren Rizzi is also scheduled to interview this upcoming week. Rizzi recently interviewed with the New York Jets, signaling his growing reputation as a viable head coaching candidate.
However, we can rule out one major name from the Saints’ initial list: Mike Vrabel. Reports from NFL insiders Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport confirmed on Sunday that Vrabel has been named the new head coach of the New England Patriots. While Vrabel’s potential candidacy was intriguing, it was always unlikely given the rapid developments in New England, where Jerod Mayo was dismissed, and Vrabel was announced as the replacement almost immediately.
The timeline for the Saints to make a hire appears more extended. While fans might hope for a swift decision, the team will unlikely announce its new head coach by the end of this week. Instead, the process could stretch into early February, potentially aligning with the Super Bowl timeline. Nick Underhill has also reported that Aaron Glenn is expected to receive a second in-person interview, adding further intrigue to the process.
Ultimately, the Saints’ next head coach doesn’t need ties to Sean Payton to succeed. While Dennis Allen’s struggles may have left fans wary of hiring another coach from the Payton coaching tree, what truly matters is finding the right person for the job. The focus should be on hiring someone capable of evaluating talent, building a cohesive roster, and creating a winning culture—not their coaching lineage.
Considering that, it’s time to examine the four critical areas the Saints’ next head coach must address immediately upon taking the reins.
Rebuilding the Culture
The first and arguably most crucial task for the new Saints head coach will be to rebuild the team’s culture. Over the past few seasons, it’s become increasingly evident that the Saints have lost their identity—a once disciplined, competitive, and resilient team has struggled to maintain its edge. From an outsider’s perspective, it’s clear that the team’s culture has grown lax under Dennis Allen’s tenure.
While Dennis Allen is widely regarded as a good person and respected football mind, his leadership style didn’t resonate when it came to instilling accountability and intensity within the locker room. The on-field results mirrored this disconnect, with players frequently making costly mistakes—missed tackles, turnovers, and mental lapses—and there was often little visible consequence. In games where discipline and execution should have been emphasized, the Saints instead appeared complacent and unmotivated.
One glaring difference between Allen and his predecessor, Sean Payton, was how they handled accountability. Payton, while not always naming names, wasn’t afraid to publicly address areas of concern or call out underperformance. He had a clear vision for what he wanted from his team and wasn’t shy about expressing it, whether in praise or criticism. This leadership style set the tone for the entire organization, demanding a level of effort and focus that defined the Saints during their most successful years.
In contrast, Allen often appeared hesitant in post-game press conferences, avoiding direct critiques or even robust compliments. This lack of decisive communication likely translated to the locker room, where players need a clear sense of expectations and accountability. Rebuilding the culture starts with a coach who can set a tone of discipline, intensity, and resilience while fostering trust and buy-in from players.
The Saints have been adrift culturally since 2021, and the new head coach must prioritize creating an environment that values accountability, preparation, and a relentless commitment to excellence. Whether it’s addressing player mistakes on the sideline, demanding more focus during practices, or building a stronger sense of team identity, the next leader needs to reinvigorate the Saints’ ethos. The foundation of any turnaround begins with culture, and it’s an area the Saints can’t afford to overlook.
Must Rebuild the Roster from the Ground Up
The second critical task for the new Saints head coach is clear: they must possess the vision and capability to rebuild the roster from the ground up. The current state of the Saints’ roster reflects years of patchwork fixes, reliance on undrafted free agents, and missed opportunities in both the draft and free agency. To return to contention, the Saints need a complete overhaul, focusing on acquiring young, high-impact talent.
In my view, the Saints are in desperate need of an influx of younger, better players. This transformation won’t happen overnight—it will likely require at least two solid drafts to replenish the roster with fresh talent capable of making a difference. The days of depending on late-round picks, undrafted free agents, or players pulled from the CFL or other secondary leagues to fill key roles must come to an end. These stopgap measures have repeatedly exposed the team’s lack of depth and ultimately contributed to its struggles.
Under Sean Payton, the Saints managed to extract significant value from overlooked players, turning them into productive contributors in specialized roles. Payton had an uncanny ability to recognize a player’s strengths and maximize their potential, whether on offense, defense, or special teams. Unfortunately, Dennis Allen’s tenure lacked that same ability to develop talent, often leaving players in roles they weren’t equipped to handle and failing to adapt strategies to their skill sets.
For the new head coach, the priority must be to rebuild the roster strategically and sustainably. This means identifying players who not only have the physical attributes but also the mental toughness and versatility to thrive in the Saints’ system. It’s not just about filling positions; it’s about finding the right players who can fit into a cohesive team culture and contribute immediately.
The upcoming NFL Draft provides an excellent opportunity to jumpstart this rebuild, especially with the Saints holding the ninth overall pick. However, trading down from that spot to acquire additional picks could be a smart move. The Saints need volume as much as quality—more selections mean more opportunities to bring in young talent and fill the many gaps on the roster. A coach with a sharp eye for talent and the ability to identify value in later rounds will be instrumental in this process.
Ultimately, the success of the Saints’ next head coach will depend largely on their ability to construct a roster that can compete in a grueling NFC South. It doesn’t matter whether the new hire has ties to Sean Payton’s coaching tree or comes from an entirely different background. What matters is their ability to evaluate talent, build a competitive roster, and develop players to their fullest potential. Without this, the Saints will continue to languish in mediocrity.
Game Preparation: A Foundation for Success
The third critical area the new Saints head coach must address is game preparation—not just in isolated areas, but as a comprehensive overhaul of how the team prepares for each phase of the season. From the offseason programs to regular-season practices, the Saints need a renewed focus on readiness to ensure their players are fully equipped to execute at a high level when it matters most.
Reports have circulated that the Saints’ practices under Dennis Allen lacked the intensity seen in the Sean Payton era. Soft practices may have contributed to the team’s inability to compete consistently and play with the sharpness needed to win games. Preparation—or the lack thereof—can often be the hidden factor that separates contenders from pretenders.
The issue isn’t just about practice intensity; it extends to the team’s ongoing injury woes. Under Allen’s leadership, injuries seemed to skyrocket, particularly to key players. While no team is immune to injuries, the Saints’ situation went beyond the norm. The team’s inability to manage these challenges exposed a lack of depth and adaptability, leading to multiple seasons derailed by health issues.
Preparation begins long before the regular season kicks off. Training camps, minicamps, and preseason are critical periods to establish not only physical readiness but also a mental edge. A successful head coach will need to implement a program that emphasizes physical conditioning, injury prevention, and tactical preparation. This includes reviewing practice protocols, player recovery programs, and even the coaching staff’s approach to game planning.
Additionally, the Saints must focus on building depth in the roster, something that was glaringly absent in recent years. Injuries to players like Derek Carr, Chris Olave, and Alvin Kamara left the team struggling to replace their production. Teams like the Detroit Lions have demonstrated how a well-drafted roster with quality depth can overcome injury adversity and remain competitive. This should serve as a blueprint for the Saints moving forward.
Better preparation also extends to game-day execution. From detailed scouting reports to in-game adjustments, the new head coach must foster a culture of accountability and adaptability. Players must be drilled to execute their assignments effectively, and the coaching staff must excel at making quick, decisive changes when things aren’t going according to plan.
In summary, preparation isn’t just a box to check—it’s the backbone of any successful football team. The Saints’ next head coach must prioritize building a program that emphasizes hard-nosed practices, strategic depth, and meticulous planning. Without these elements, the Saints will continue to struggle in a league where preparation often makes the difference between victory and defeat. This is why better preparation isn’t just an option—it’s a necessity.
Effectively Competing for All Four Quarters: A Blueprint for Consistency
The fourth and final area the new Saints head coach must address is instilling the ability to compete effectively for all four quarters. This might sound fundamental, but for far too long, the Saints have struggled with inconsistent play across entire games—a glaring issue during Dennis Allen’s tenure.
One of the most frustrating aspects of the Saints’ performance under Allen was their tendency to start games slowly, taking two or even three quarters to find their rhythm. By the time the team finally “locked in,” it was often too late to mount a comeback or close out games against opponents they should have comfortably defeated.
For instance, during last season’s matchup with the Chicago Bears, a team starting a rookie quarterback, the Saints defense allowed the young signal-caller to look far more composed than he should have. It wasn’t until halftime adjustments that New Orleans finally took control, but the damage had already been done in the first half, making the win far harder than it needed to be.
This inability to perform consistently from the opening kickoff to the final whistle has been a recurring theme. Whether it’s struggling to take advantage of weaker teams or failing to hold onto leads against stronger opponents, the Saints have often been their own worst enemy. A hallmark of great teams is their ability to dominate the full 60 minutes, and that’s something the next head coach must prioritize.
The importance of “closing out” games cannot be overstated. In the glory days of the Sean Payton era, the Saints were renowned for their ability to rise to the occasion in critical moments. Whether it was coming up with a clutch third-down conversion, forcing a key turnover, or making a big play on special teams, those Saints teams had an unshakable ability to finish strong. The Superdome was a fortress where opposing teams dreaded playing, and the Saints almost always seemed prepared for the moment.
To recapture that spirit, the new head coach must implement a winning culture that emphasizes attention to detail, situational awareness, and relentless effort. Players need to be drilled on how to handle critical game situations, whether it’s executing a two-minute drill, managing the clock effectively, or maintaining focus when holding a lead. This preparation will ensure the team doesn’t waste opportunities and can consistently close out games.
Moreover, the Saints must learn to treat every opponent with the same level of respect. Overlooking teams they “should beat” has cost them too many games. The new coach must instill a mindset where every snap, every quarter, and every game is treated with the urgency it deserves.
The Saints’ inability to play effectively for all four quarters has been a defining flaw in recent years. By addressing this issue head-on, the new head coach can lay the foundation for a team that competes and finishes strong, bringing back the consistency that once made the Saints perennial contenders.
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