By Ross Jackson
The New Orleans Saints continue to build out their coaching staff after the hire of new head coach Kellen Moore. After also retaining wide receivers coach Keith Williams and bringing back offensive line coach Brendan Nugent, the focus has turned to the defensive side of the ball.
Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Saints have requested to interview former LSU defensive coordinator and current Minnesota Vikings defensive backs coach/defensive passing game coordinator Daronte Jones for their open defensive coordinator position.
Jones spent the 2021 season as the Tigers’ defensive coordinator. During that year, the defense surrendered 26.6 points per game, along with 379.3 total yards per game en route to a 6-7 season, which would infamously become Ed Orgeron final year as head coach.
Despite those numbers not necessarily generating the most glimmering reviews, the credit that Jones has received in the situation that was in during that tumultuous LSU season quelled many concerns attached to that year.
He then moved on to become the Vikings’ defensive backs coach in 2022, before adding the defensive passing game coordinator tag in 2023. During his two seasons in Minnesota, the Vikings ranked No. 24 and No. 28 against the pass.
Jones has received more than a few defensive coordinator interviews this offseason and has been a consistently popular name for a few years now. While former Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley is considered the favorite to land the Saints’ defensive coordinator position, interviews and a search must still be conducted. Jones is the first of what will end up being a few names considered for the position, should the Vikings allow his interview.
