Drew Brees has eyes on a former teammate as next New Orleans Saints head coach

The New Orleans Saints have been without a full-time head coach for a while now. Since parting ways with Dennis Allen mid-season, it was up to special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi to guide this sinking NFC South franchise the rest of the way. Yes, there were moments when the team played hard for Rizzi, but we all knew the franchise would be big-game hunting for a long-term replacement.

One of the most obvious candidates for the Saints job would be one of Drew Brees' former New Orleans teammates in Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. They briefly played together in 2008 before Glenn got into the coaching profession. Prior to following former Saints assistant Dan Campbell to Detroit, Glenn had been a vibrant part of some of Sean Payton's final New Orleans staffs.

Of the handful of head-coaching hopefuls, I am the second most confident of Glenn getting to lead a team of his own behind only former Tennessee Titans head coach and Cleveland Browns assistant Mike Vrabel. This is because Glenn is an elite defensive coordinator on one of the best teams in football, as well as having strong ties to both the Saints and New York Jets organizations previously.

Clearly, Brees thinks Glenn is the perfect candidate to guide the Saints into a new era of the franchise.

Given that Glenn was the runner-up to get the job in 2022 when Allen was hired makes this palpable.

Drew Brees wants Aaron Gleen as next New Orleans Saints head coach

Removing Vrabel from the equation, Glenn is arguably my favorite head-coaching candidate in this cycle. He has been a part of two winning organization's staffs in New Orleans and now Detroit. Glreen was an integral piece in the Lions' cultural turnaround under Campbell. Conversely, we have seen the Saints unravel in the wake of Campbell and Glenn departing for Detroit some three offseasons ago.

The other big factor is Glenn is a former Pro Bowl defensive back. He may have been better known for his time as a player with the New York Jets and Houston Texans in the mid-1990s to early 2000s, but he is a coach who can relate to every player on the football field. To me, very few of these openings are good. I would argue hiring a retread or an alpha male on defense is the right way to go this winter.

Overall, the Saints have lost their way in the wake of Brees retiring, as well as Campbell, Glenn and eventually Payton leaving for other jobs. While reaching into one's past is rarely a good idea, this strong connection Glenn has to the Saints makes this an ideal hire seemingly everyone can get behind. If it is not him, then it might have to be another guy with ties to the organization in Joe Brady.

This hire will be all about partnering with Mickey Loomis, which is why I think Glenn is the ideal guy.