3 coaches the Saints should avoid to replace Sean Payton
Thanks to Sean Payton and Drew Brees, the New Orleans Saints didn't have to worry about two of the most important hires in NFL football for a long time. Now, they might have to fill both slots as a fateful offseason looms.
Sean Payton's abdication of The Big Easy's throne comes at an interesting point in the Saints' franchise timeline: their streak of four consecutive NFC South division titles ended at the hands of Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (despite New Orleans sweeping the regular season set), and they face a fluid situation under center thanks to the effective-yet-injury prone Jameis Winston.
The situation abroad could also help define the Saints' environment: Brady's outlook in Tampa could change thanks to free agency or even his outright retirement, while the outliers in Atlanta and Carolina could be destined for rebuilds.
As New Orleans move into an uncertain, if not intriguing, gridiron future, several names have been linked to the team even before the ink is dry on Payton's letter of resignation. However, there are some candidates that wouldn't work well with what they're trying to build in The Big Easy...
The New Orleans Saints' search should avoid these names
#1 - Dennis Allen
If the Saints were to hire from within, defensive coordinator Allen would likely be the top choice. It was the defense that kept New Orleans in the playoff hunt after Winston went down for the year and, even during the final stages of the Brees era, has outplayed the offense over recent seasons.
Like fellow coordinator-turned-candidate Todd Bowles in Tampa, enough time has also passed since a disastrous head-coaching tenure (winning eight games in three seasons with the artists formerly known as the Oakland Raiders from 2012-14) to give him another chance. But the Saints defense is well set for the future, and New Orleans are much better off hiring an offensive mind to help develop their post-Brees franchise quarterback, be it Winston or otherwise. It's nothing personal against Allen... it's just gridiron business.
#2 - Jim Harbaugh
It's hard to tell if the Saints are contenders or if they're destined for a sizable rebuild. Hiring Harbaugh is the move of a team that would be immediately dedicated to the former.
Harbaugh, fresh off finally getting the Ohio State monkey off his back, is a coach who gets hired when a team is the proverbial "one move away" from something exciting. New Orleans have no idea what the future holds and need to be patient. Bringing Harbaugh into the fold would be the exact opposite of that, and it'd force the current group to enter "win now" mode.
#3 - Dan Quinn
If being petty helped you get to the Super Bowl, the Saints more than likely would've hired Quinn by now. He partially reclaimed the narrative on his NFL career through his newfound defensive endeavors in Dallas, but he will likely always be known as the coach that took the Atlanta Falcons to their doomed appearance in Super Bowl LI.
The Falcons' biggest rival bringing him aboard and headlining the next stage of their franchise development would be a heck of a storyline, and Quinn has apparently warranted a new opportunity to don the boss' headset.
Alas, like perhaps his finest pupil, Trevon Diggs, Quinn was able to use forced turnovers as a mask to the Cowboys' issues of giving up big plays. As is the case with Allen, the Saints are better off bringing in an offensive mind to develop an uncertain future on the scoring side of the ball.