The New Orleans Saints are in the market for a new head coach and one of the franchise's greatest players of all time is weighing in on who they should hire. Former quarterback Drew Brees wants to see New Orleans bring former defensive backs coach Aaron Glenn get his chance to lead the team in 2025.
Glenn figures to be a popular candidate for teams looking to upgrade their defenses this offseason. He has crafted his Lions' unit into one of the most ferocious units in the league. New Orleans has leaned towards offensive-minded coaches in recent years but might see improving their defense the easier path toward contention in the NFC South.
Glenn could be attracted to the Saints job in particular due to the quality they have in the secondary. Tyrann Mathieu is a difference-maker at the safety position. Paulson Adebo, Alontae Taylor and Kool-Aid McKinstry give New Orleans three highly drafted cornerbacks to play. The front-seven will need to be reinforced this offseaosn but the franchise has the draft capital required to make that happen.
Spoke to Drew Brees today on the state of the Saints and their coaching search.
— Crissy Froyd (@crissy_froyd) January 7, 2025
He named Aaron Glenn as his top pick for head coach.
Glenn served as the defensive backs for the Saints from 2016-2020. Whenever Dennis Allen was hired in 2022, Glenn was the runner-up.
Aaron Glenn favors the Saints defense, but not their offensive issues
The downside to a potential Glenn hire in New Orleans is that he is not the ideal offensive guru to help aid the team's likely transition at quarterback. Derek Carr is unlikely to return as the team's starter in 2025.
GM Mickey Loomis might choose to give Spencer Rattler another chance to seize the starting position as his own. The other path forward for New Orleans would be to identify a new signal-caller they like in this year's draft class. Hiring an offensive-minded coach might provide a more comfortable ecosystem for a young quarterback.
Brees' opinion can be a data point for the decision-makers in New Orleans but they have to realize he doesn't have the qualifications to be an NFL president or general manager. That's why this decision should lie with others.