Dennis Allen’s success could depend on New Orleans Saints finding their next Drew Brees. New Orleans Saints Blog

METAIRIE, La. – It’s not hard to see why the New Orleans SaintsDennis Allen was chosen to succeed Sean Payton as the team’s head coach.

Allen, 49, brings a continuityThe franchise was valued after spending 12 years in New Orleans. General manager Mickey Loomis insisted the Saints weren’t looking for the same type of overhaul that might be the case with the eight teams who fired their previous coaches. They have the chance to retain much of their skilled coaching staff.

Allen is also a great defensive coordinator, who has helped to transform the unit into a strength for the team in recent years. Although he probably went into a little more detail during his interview with team executives and ownership last week, he could’ve just brought popcorn and the video from New Orleans’ 9-0 victoryAt the Tampa Bay BuccaneersIn December, Payton was out due to COVID-19. Allen led the team towards the first MVP candidate win. Tom BradyIn 15 years.

Finally, he has experience as a coach. Although Allen’s underwhelming 8-28 record with the then-Oakland Raiders from 2012-14 might have limited his opportunities around the league in recent years, the Saints and Allen firmly believe that his lessons learned in that first stint can be invaluable the second time around.

However, the same thing is true for Allen as it was for Payton – and as it would have been for fellow candidates like Aaron Glenn, Darren Rizzi, Brian Flores and Eric Bieniemy. Allen’s success will depend largely on whether he and the Saints nail the other monumental decision they have to make in the coming months: choosing the right quarterback.

One of Payton’s first decisions as head coach in 2006 was pushing for the team to gamble on free agent Drew Brees in the wake of a major shoulder surgery when the rest of the NFL was scared off. This one worked out quite well.

Whether Allen can find his own version – or at least a close facsimile – ranks as the No. His hiring has prompted one question:

Who will play quarterback in the future?

Loomis stated that this was the No. Loomis stated that this was the No. 1 question all coaching candidates had for him during the hiring process. Loomis said it would be a team decision between the new coach & the existing power structure.

Jameis WinstonAfter showing promise this season in the starting role, Winston is likely to be the front runner. He threw 14 touchdown passes and had only three interceptions. The Saints (9-8) started the season 5-2. But there are two complications: Winston is an unsigned, free agent. Winston is also still recovering from a knee injury. the torn ACL he suffered in Week 8; 3) The Saints will likely think big with this position – and that could potentially mean pursuing a trade for the likes of Aaron RodgersOder Russell WilsonDespite the salary cap restrictions.

This will obviously be more difficult than it sounds. If those quarterbacks are actually available, the Saints would still have to make the best offer – which could be difficult, since they don’t pick until 18th in this year’s draft. The Saints would have to offer those quarterbacks to New Orleans without Payton, with questions at the skill positions as well as on the offensive line.

However, the point remains that the Saints are decidedly “all-in” on trying to win the NFC South in 2022 – especially now that Brady has retired. The Saints feel like they have one of the league’s more talented rosters, especially on defense. The Saints felt that they should have been a playoff-bound team this season, even though they were one of the worst-performing teams in the NFL.

Another consideration could be a free agent Teddy Bridgewater, incumbent Taysom HillOr a draft selection. Again, choosing 18th is less appealing.

What does this mean for major personnel decisions?

The Saints don’t just have a quarterback, they also have some big ones. Left tackle Terron ArmsteadSafety Marcus WilliamsBoth are ranked among ESPN’s top seven pending free agents. Some past friction with the star-wide receiver Michael ThomasThis has led to speculation about whether the team could trade him.

All indications point to Thomas and the Saints being on the same page ever since Payton and he cleared the air last year. And Loomis has stressed that the team isn’t looking for any sort of roster overhaul, either. Allen will likely work with Loomis as well as the front office to make such decisions.

The Saints are expected to earn about $70million more than the salary cap. However, we have previously mentioned how they could. create more than $100 million in spaceTheir usual method of converting salary into signing bonuses doesn’t allow them to cut any one player. That doesn’t mean they can afford to keep everyone and acquire a top quarterback, though.

Who will manage the special, offensive and defense teams?

It remains to be determined.

While Pete Carmichael Jr. is the offensive coordinator and Rizzi, special teams coordinator Rizzi could be kept in their current roles, changes are possible. Allen would like to keep a large part of the defensive team, which includes Ryan Nielsen, Kris Richard, Michael Hodges, senior assistant Peter Giunta and Kris Richard, defensive line coach/assistant coach.

Choosing the defensive coordinator could actually be Allen’s most grueling early decision, with both Nielsen and Richard, in particular, having excellent qualifications.

Are the Saints too safe?

This is the type of question that no one of the nine new coaches can answer. Allen was the obvious choice because of all the above reasons. He could also follow in the footsteps of Jim Caldwell who was the leader of the Indianapolis ColtsAfter replacing Tony Dungy, the team scored a 14-0 record and won the Super Bowl in 2009.

But you can practically hear the hot takes that will surely come if things don’t work out.

Like “The Saints were trying to hold on to the past, but it wasn’t the same without Payton and Brees” or “They should have followed the blueprint of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who replaced Bill Cowher with an up-and-coming young coach they didn’t know in Mike Tomlin.”

This dilemma is especially significant at a moment when Black coaches are underrepresented in the NFL. The Saints could have opted to forgo existing relationships and drafted Flores instead, who has just experienced back-to-back wins as the team’s coach. Miami Dolphins’ coach, or Bieniemy or Glenn, who are awaiting their first opportunities.

After all, the Saints were gambling on an unknown when they hired Payton as a first-time head coach in 2006 – and that worked out pretty well too.