The New Orleans Saints are one of the teams still looking for a new head coach and are also considered to be one of the least-desirable jobs in the market.
With some top options potentially looking elsewhere, knowing they could potentially land at an easier spot, the Saints could be forced to look at one of the less sought-after coaches this cycle.
Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport found someone that fits that bill, but is also very promising. He recently searched for an underrated head coach candidate for each team that would be a great fit. For New Orleans, he decided on Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik.
Here is what Davenport had to say about why he would suggest the decision:
Hire a young offensive coach like Slowik. Be patient while the team pulls itself from salary-cap purgatory. And then reap the rewards when the young offense he helped build finally clicks.
Or, do the same thing as the past few years, break out 11 rolls of duct tape and hope Slowik can scheme a flawed team to 10 wins and the postseason.
Slowik has an interview lined up with the Jets, but he was a hotter candidate after C.J. Stroud’s rookie year. A sophomore slump slowed down that train, but Davenport walked away impressed with how Slowik led the Texans offense in the playoff game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
At first, DeMeco Ryans’ defense kept the Texans in the game. When the offense clicked, however, they rolled the rest of the game. The Chargers are a tough defense, so Slowik deserves credit for that success.
He is another member of the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree, which the hire of Klint Kubiak shows that Mickey Loomis is intrigued by. Davenport sees Slowik’s age as another positive. He’s only 37 years old which gives the Saints and him a chance to grow together. As the Saints take their bumps, Slowik could refine himself as a coach. This isn’t the best win-now set up in New Orleans. They could afford to take their time with Slowik.
The Texans finished this season averaging one yard per game less than the Saints, making them the 11th-least productive unit in the league. A sophomore slump isn’t too worrying, given what he has shown before. He clearly knows the sport well and would be an intriguing option.
