The writing was on the wall for Pete Carmichael following the New Orleans Saints’ 2023 season. He was let go after 14 years as the team’s offensive coordinator and the Saints will need to replace him. They’ve already done a number of interviews, but a few coaches have already been hired away.
Carmichael was a nice coach under Payton, but really lacked the ability to run the offense without him. As Dennis Allen is a defensive head coach, whoever the Saints hire will have to carry the load of the offense.
Here are the pros and cons to every offensive coordinator candidate the Saints have interviewed so far (that is still available):
Jerrod Johnson
Pros: C.J. Stroud thrived in his rookie season with Johnson as his quarterback coach. He learned under Bobby Slowik this season, a Kyle Shanahan disciple. He also learned under Wes Phillips, another guy in the Shanahan and Sean McVay tree.
Cons: He’s never called plays before, which is by far the biggest con to hiring him. As mentioned in the pros, he had some nice people to learn from so it’s a con that you can still feel good about. But your giving the full keys of your offense to a guy who hasn’t called plays could go either way.
Klint Kubiak
Pros: The fun of Super Bowl winning coach Gary Kubiak. In addition to learning under his father, he joined the Shanahan coaching tree this season as the 49ers Passing Game Coordinator.
Cons: He was fired after one season as the Vikings offensive coordinator. It’s not all on him, as he was part of a house clearing. However, he has not gotten retained by any team has an offensive coordinator since. The Vikings offense under Kubiak was fairly middle of the road with a similar quarterback to Derek Carr in Kirk Cousins.
Brian Griese
Pros: Griese is a long time NFL quarterback with a Super Bowl Ring to show for it. He is also another member of the Shanahan tree.
Cons: He has only been a coach in the NFL for two years. Even in the Shanahan tree, is that enough to take over the reins of an offense in the NFL with a defensive head coach.
Ronald Curry
Pros: He’s been around the team for a long time, it would definitely be a “continuity” move. He’s a good coach and has learned under Sean Payton for a long time.
Cons: He doesn’t have a ton of play calling experience, just a few preseason games. Also, do the Saints really want to run it back with another coach in this same tree? It would make sense to bring in some fresh blood if you’re trying to fix a stagnant offense.
Mike Sullivan
Pros: He’s an older and more experienced coach. He’s been in the NFL since 2002 and been a part of two Super Bowl-winning staffs. With a background in the Army and some time with Mike Tomlin you would expect him to bring some more grit into the building.
Cons: He’s been a part of a very unimpressive Pittsburgh Steelers coaching staff for the past two years. Kenny Pickett has not shown much growth under him. He has never been gone from being an offensive coordinator into being given a bigger role in his time in the league.
Brian Johnson
Pros: He was the coach for Kyle Trask in Florida when he had his career year in college. Jalen Hurts also showed great improvement when Johnson was just his quarterbacks coach.
Cons: The Eagles offense did not have a great year in Johnson’s first season as an offensive coordinator. It led to the team firing him after the season.
