After a promising 2023 season when they came close to winning the NFC South, the New Orleans Saints are coming off a 5-12 season in 2024 and need plenty of help.
Their first item of business is to hire a head coach after firing Dennis Allen during the season, and there reportedly are three main candidates they’re considering: Aaron Glenn, Mike Kafka and Anthony Weaver.
Unfortunately, the Saints waited a bit to hold interviews due to a punch of bad weather that has hit the Southeast, and one insider feels that could cost them a shot at hiring Glenn.
“The Saints stuck to what had been a very good process so far. But it’s fair to wonder if they’ll miss out on a top target in Aaron Glenn because they didn’t pivot ahead of the winter weather,” Jonathan Jones of NFL on CBS wrote on X.
The Saints stuck to what had been a very good process so far. But it’s fair to wonder if they’ll miss out on a top target in Aaron Glenn because they didn’t pivot ahead of the winter weather. pic.twitter.com/P0h9EnIcML
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) January 21, 2025
Glenn has done an excellent job as the Detroit Lions’ defensive coordinator since they hired him for that role in 2021, and along with head coach Dan Campbell and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, he has helped turn around what had been a long-suffering franchise.
What used to be a woeful Lions defense became one that, when healthy, has been very solid.
It was good enough to boost Detroit to a 15-2 record, but perhaps the many injuries it suffered this season were a major factor in an ugly loss to the Washington Commanders in the divisional round of the playoffs.
This season, New Orleans was 19th in points allowed and 30th in total yards given up, and for a team that doesn’t have a top-level quarterback, winning with defense seems to be the way to go.
NEXT: Saints Are Interviewing Interesting Head Coaching Candidate For Second Time