By Ross Jackson
CHARLOTTE — After losing seven straight games for the first time since 1999, the New Orleans Saints will undergo their first in-season coaching change since 1996.
It was a tough call because of the institutional relationship between head coach Dennis Allen, the front office and Saints owner Gayle Benson. But it was, without doubt, the correct decision.
New Orleans has not been able to live up to the gold standard that it created for itself over the decade and a half which preceded Allen’s tenure. The Saints, for the first time in many years, have developed a losing culture. There was no way that any business could allow that to continue.
Benson actually made two right calls on Monday. The first was the firing of Allen, and the second was the appointment of special teams coordinator and assistant head coach Darren Rizzi as the interim. Rizzi will be the first step in cultivating the team’s new era, even if he isn’t the one to see it through long-term.
The Saints have to approach the remainder of this season with an eye on their next iteration. Rizzi is the right coach to help them do that.
He has a relationship with players on both sides of the ball. Special teams is not a defensive or offensive unit, it requires players from almost every position to contribute. He also has a connection with all of the young players in the building as well.
As a young player in the NFL, the fastest path to a roster spot is via special teams. That will be specifically meaningful as the Saints spend the rest of their games evaluating the young talent they will look to build their future around.
Rizzi is also skilled with the situational side of the game–clock management, go-for-it situations and more. As a special teams coordinator, it isn’t just the kicking, punting and returning that you’re concerned with. It’s fourth down as a whole. That’s a good decision maker to fall back on when it comes to in-game coaching.
The respected special teams coach was the right choice for interim. The next ripple will be how the Saints roster is impacted, if at all.
Reports have been swirling around star cornerback Marshon Lattimore. Teams have apparently been calling to check in on his availability via trade. Lattimore missed this week’s game, the game that broke the camel’s back as it were, with a hamstring injury.
If the Saints were to move Lattimore, they would incur considerable salary cap savings in 2025 and would gather likely Day 2 draft compensation in the process.
While Lattimore could be traded, it’s very unlikely the team will look to start selling off players. They aren’t truly in position to do so anyway with their salary cap situation which this franchise must focus on getting out of come hell or high water. Continuing to bank overages while missing the playoffs over the course of what will be four years by this season’s end turned out to be a meaningless endeavor.
The Saints made the right choice in Rizzi. But they’ll need to follow that up with a series of equally wise decisions before undergoing their long-term coaching search. New Orleans should look to put itself in the best possible position to sell itself to the best possible coach. Otherwise, the team will end up right back in another coaching search in a just a couple of years.
For now, New Orleans should be focused on priming itself for its best possible future. Not trying to turn things around for 2024. But to put itself back into the contender conversation over the next handful of seasons. The Saints did what they had to do, but the hard work is just beginning.
