By Ross Jackson
Tuesday will be the most important day in the New Orleans Saints’ coaching search, so far. One of the team’s top candidates, Detroit Lion defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, will be visiting the New York Jets for a second interview discussing their open position first.
Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Jets are motivated to get a deal done with Glenn quickly, who would otherwise travel to visit with the Saints on Wednesday.
For weeks at LouisianaSports.Net, sources close to Glenn have highlighted that the aspiring head coach prefers to land with the Jets, the team that drafted him in the first round of the 1994 draft. Several others reported the same. That much is now evident with Glenn choosing to interview with the Jets before taking his interview in New Orleans.
One of the most appealing aspects of the job for Glenn is that the Jets also have an open general manager position, which the team could fill with someone he is comfortable working with—or perhaps even someone he knows.
Recent reports suggest that a potential general manager candidate is Lane Newmark, a former longtime Lions executive member. A perfect fit for Glenn.
If the former defensive back does ink a deal with the Jets on Tuesday, all is not lost for the Saints, who still have other top options to consider.
With the Chicago Bears hiring former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Mike McCarthy remains available for the Saints to consider. The team is working to schedule an in-person interview with McCarthy.
New Orleans is also rumored to pursue a second interview with Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady, who is currently preparing to coach in the AFC Championship game with a chance at helping take the Bills to the Super Bowl in a few weeks. The next possible time Brady could interview would be during the bye week between the conference championship and Super Bowl.
So, if New Orleans misses out on Glenn, it won’t be in a position where they must settle for a different hire. They would simply turn to another front-runner. It’s not Glenn or bust for the Saints, but it is clear that their interest in the former Saints defensive backs coach is strong. Whether or not they’ll get a chance to capitalize on that will be settled on Tuesday.
(This was posted on Tuesday, Jan. 21 at 9:16 am)
