HEADLINES

New Orleans Saints News & Rumors

Dolphins Request Interview With Dennis Allen

January 4th, 2019 at 1:09pm CST by Zachary Links

The Dolphins requested permission to speak with Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). This marks Allen’s first known interview for a head coaching job in this cycle. 

Allen replaced Rob Ryan during the 2015 season as the interim defensive coordinator in New Orleans and was retained the following offseason. The Saints’ D has made big strides since then, so it’s no surprise that Allen is in the mix for a move back up the ladder.

In 2018, the Saints’ defense ranked second in the league against the run and tied for fifth in the NFL in sacks. Allen may have to explain what went wrong in Oakland – he went 8-26 in two-plus years – but his recent results are impressive and could vault him into the top job in Miami.

The date of Allen’s Miami interview is yet to be determined. For now, Allen will focus on getting the Saints ready for their Jan. 13 home playoff game against either the Cowboys, Seahawks, and Eagles.

NFL Workout Updates: 1/3/19

January 3rd, 2019 at 8:22pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s workout updates, all courtesy of veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer (on Twitter):

Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

New England Patriots

  • WR Jordan Williams-Lambert

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Saints Do Solid For Alex Okafor

January 2nd, 2019 at 7:20pm CST by Sam Robinson
  • Alex Okafor stood to miss a $400K bonus because he fell one sack short of the incentive’s five-sack threshold, but, interestingly, the Saints paid him the bonus anyway, per NOLA.com’s Luke Johnson. This could be a key component of the starting defensive end’s upcoming decision on whether or not to opt out of his contract. Okafor signed a two-year deal with a player option to stay in New Orleans and has until the final day of the 2018 league year to decide on the option.

Packers To Interview Saints OC Pete Carmichael

January 2nd, 2019 at 5:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Sean Payton‘s longtime right-hand man, Pete Carmichael has not been a fixture on recent coaching carousels. The Packers, though, want to amend that.

Green Bay requested an interview with New Orleans’ offensive coordinator, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports (on Twitter). The meeting will take place Saturday, ESPN.com’s Mike Triplett reports (on Twitter).

Carmichael has been with the Saints since Payton’s 2006 arrival, ascending to the role of offensive coordinator in advance of New Orleans’ 2009 Super Bowl season. The 47-year-old assistant is the league’s longest-tenured OC. Payton being the architect of the Saints’ perennially explosive offenses, teams have not made Carmichael a priority in coaching searches.

The Packers have already interviewed Chuck Pagano and Jim Caldwell and are scheduled to meet with Saints tight ends coach Dan Campbell, Titans OC Matt LaFleur, Patriots linebackers coach Brian Flores and Patriots OC Josh McDaniels. Interim HC Joe Philbin is also set to get a look. They are also trying to land a meeting with Northwestern HC Pat Fitzgerald.

New Orleans’ offenses have ranked in the top 10 in both scoring and total yardage in nine of Carmichael’s 10 years, the one outlier being an 11th-place points ranking in 2010. During Payton’s Bountygate suspension season, 2012, the Saints ranked second in yardage and scored the third-most points.

Packers, Browns, Cardinals To Interview Dan Campbell

January 1st, 2019 at 12:24pm CST by Zachary Links

Dan Campbell is a popular man these days. After interviewing Josh McDaniels, the Packers are set to fly to New Orleans on Saturday to meet with the Saints’ assistant head coach/tight ends coach, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. He’s also scheduled to meet with the Browns on Friday and the Cardinals at some point over the weekend. 

Of course, in the midst of all of this, Campbell is preparing for the Saints’ Divisional Round game on Jan. 13. Should the Saints win against their TBD opponent, interested clubs will have to get in where they fit in if they want to go down the road with Campbell.

Also carrying the title of assistant head coach in New Orleans, Campbell was connected to the Colts’ post-McDaniels job search last year and interviewed for the Vikings’ OC job that eventually went to John DeFilippo. Prior to being promoted to the Dolphins’ HC in the wake of Joe Philbin‘s early-season firing three years ago, Campbell had been Miami’s tight ends coach for more than four years.

Cardinals, Packers Request To Interview Saints’ Dan Campbell

December 31st, 2018 at 6:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 2015 Dolphins’ interim coach, Dan Campbell has spent the past three seasons as the Saints’ tight ends boss. He looks set to re-enter the coaching carousel.

In addition to receiving a Browns interview request, Campbell has heard from the Cardinals and Packers about hopeful meetings, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports (on Twitter).

Also carrying the title of assistant head coach in New Orleans, Campbell was connected to the Colts’ post-Josh McDaniels job search last year and interviewed for the Vikings’ OC job that eventually went to John DeFilippo. Prior to being promoted to the Dolphins’ HC in the wake of Joe Philbin‘s early-season firing three years ago, Campbell had been Miami’s tight ends coach for more than four years.

The Cardinals and Packers have been busy with interview requests on the first day of non-playoff-qualifying teams’ offseasons. After already meeting with Jim Caldwell and Chuck Pagano, Green Bay sent out requests for powwows with Titans OC Matt LaFleur, Steelers offensive line coach Mike Munchak, Northwestern HC Pat Fitzgerald and Patriots linebackers coach Brian Flores, who has not yet decided which interviews he will take. The Broncos, Browns, Dolphins and Packers have sent Flores meeting requests.

Arizona has contacted Rams QBs coach Zac Taylor and Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy, whom the Jets, Buccaneers and Dolphins have also contacted. The Cardinals interviewed Flores earlier this year.

Saints Sign TE Josh Hill To Extension

December 31st, 2018 at 8:34am CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Saints are the number one seed in the NFC, and they just doled out a contract extension while they wait to see who they’ll play in the divisional round of the playoffs. New Orleans is signing tight end Josh Hill to a three year extension worth $8.85MM, sources told Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

While Hill isn’t a household name and doesn’t catch a ton of passes, he plays a big role in the Saints’ offense as a blocker. He’s played a tick over 62% of the offensive snaps this year, and also has the most receiving yards of his career. In the regular season he put up 16 catches for 185 yards and a touchdown, also matching his career high in receptions.

Hill just wrapped up his sixth year in the league, all with the Saints. The Idaho State product signed with New Orleans as an undrafted free agent back in 2013. The Saints clearly think very highly of him as they already matched an offer sheet for him when the Bears signed him as a restricted free agent in 2015, and $8.85MM is a lot of money for a blocking tight end. With Ben Watson set to retire after the season, it’s possible Hill will have an even bigger role as a receiver next year.

 

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