Category: Latest Saints News

Derek Carr had dinner with Saints brass, visiting team facility a second day

Derek Carr had dinner with Saints brass, returns to visit the team facility for a second day of meetings, as first reported by @nick_underhill:

The New Orleans Saints kicked off a second day of meetings with Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr on Thursday, per NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill, who adds that the Saints took Carr out to dinner on Wednesday night after he spent the day meeting with coaches and touring the team facility. It’s developing into a drawn-out recruiting pitch, but a second day suggests he’s receptive to what they’re selling him.

And the clock is ticking. The Raiders will be on the hook for more than $40 million in guaranteed money over the next two years if Carr is on their roster after 3 p.m. CT on Wednesday, Feb. 15. They’re hoping to reach an agreement to trade him to another team like the Saints prior to that deadline, or else he’ll be released and become a free agent.

New Orleans probably can’t afford to enter a bidding war with other teams should Carr hit the open market so they have some incentive to reach a deal with Las Vegas, but a trade will only materialize if Carr is happy with the situation he’s walking into thanks to his no-trade clause. That gives him a ton of leverage and agency in these discussions, but it’s notable that he hasn’t yet scheduled any future meetings with other teams as this window continues to shrink. The Saints are very much in the driver’s seat.

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Ian Rapoport says the Saints are the front-runner for Derek Carr

Ian Rapoport said the Saints are the front-runner for Raiders QB Derek Carr, though no trade has been agreed to just yet:

Derek Carr is busy meeting with the New Orleans Saints on Wednesday, and we’ve got some insight on the situation from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Rapoport broke things down during an appearance on the Pac McAfee Show, in which he said the Saints are the front-runner to acquire the Las Vegas Raiders quarterback. That doesn’t mean things are signed, sealed, and delivered, but it does mean things are trending that way.

One point Rapoport clarified is that the Saints and Raiders have not necessarily agreed on trade compensation so much as reached an understanding on the framework of a deal: “What my understanding of the situation is, he was only going to be allowed to visit if a team was willing to give the compensation that it would take to do a trade. … They’re in the ballpark. They’re in the conversation. It’s not like, I know the pick, here’s what it is. It’s like, yeah, this is kind of the range a pick might be.”

And Rapoport added other scenarios to the discussion: what if Carr is willing to redo his contract to facilitate a trade, which would add incentive to the Raiders in taking on some of his salary, thus increasing the asking-price? What if Carr doesn’t want to weaken the Saints by forcing them to send a draft pick when he could wait and sign with them as a free agent? What if the Saints aren’t willing to pay him what he’s seeking on a contract extension?

These are all topics that will be discussed during his visit, and any scenario will change the specific draft-pick compensation going back to Las Vegas. At the end of the day, everyone needs to be on the same page. Carr and the Saints need to agree on the money. The Saints and the Raiders need to agree on the trade compensation. If either of those two conversations go sideways, a trade won’t happen.

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Report: Saints hire former Cardinals defensive backs coach Marcus Robertson

The Saints are reportedly hiring former Cardinals defensive backs coach Marcus Robertson. He brings a strong resume and connections with Dennis Allen and Joe Woods:

Here’s another new addition to the New Orleans Saints coaching staff: Arizona Football Daily’s Mike Jurecki reports that the Saints are bringing in former Arizona Cardinals defensive backs coach Marcus Robertson, who was previously linked to the team by CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson. Robertson has a strong resume with 12 years as a player in the league and several years working in player development before he turned to coaching.

He also has some connections with Saints head coach Dennis Allen and defensive coordinator Joe Woods. Robertson was Woods’ assistant under Allen on the 2014 Oakland Raiders squad, and he later joined Woods on the Denver Broncos beneath head coach Vance Joseph (where they coached up Bradley Roby, who now plays for the Saints). He brings a lot of energy and insight to the coaching staff, which should be a welcome injection after the team moved on from secondary coach Kris Richard and defensive assistant Cory Robinson this offseason.

This is a good hire, even if it’s drawing some criticism for Allen getting his old Raiders team back together (in addition to Woods and Robertson, he’s working to acquire quarterback Derek Carr). But his back is against the wall in 2023 after the 2022 season turned into a big disappointment. Sink or swim, Allen is surrounding himself with his own coaches. His secondary only intercepted 7 passes last season and 2 of them came from backup safety Daniel Sorensen. If these new assistants can help the Saints make more plays on the back end and give their offense more opportunities to close out games, it will have been worth it.

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Report: Offensive assistant Kevin Petry staying with Saints, won’t join Broncos

Report: Offensive assistant Kevin Petry staying with Saints, won’t join Broncos

Three cheers for Kevin Petry. NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill reports that Petry is staying with the New Orleans Saints as an offensive assistant coach, opting to remain in Louisiana rather than join Sean Payton with the Denver Broncos. Petry has climbed the ladder on the Saints coaching staff and most recently began working with the quarterbacks.

It makes sense that he’d want to stay. Petry is a Louisiana native and an LSU graduate with a lot of local connections. Uprooting and moving to Denver would be a massive change. If he has opportunities for advancement in New Orleans with Payton siphoning other assistant coaches to staff the Broncos offense, this could end up being the better move for him.

Saints quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator Ronald Curry is interviewing for the Broncos offensive coordinator job soon, and they’ve already lost assistant offensive line coach Zach Strief to Denver. Another assistant coach, Declan Doyle, is in consideration for the Broncos’ tight ends coach position. Payton hasn’t taken anyone who isn’t replaceable with him to Denver, but the Saints will still be busy searching for replacements to any future departures.

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Derek Carr to visit the Saints ahead of Raiders trade deadline

Derek Carr will visit the Saints ahead of the Raiders trade deadline on Feb. 15:

Bang: we’ve got movement. The New Orleans Saints will host Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr for a visit at their facility on Wednesday, as first reported by NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill and confirmed by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The Raiders have a hard deadline to reach an agreement on trading Carr to a new team before Feb. 15, when more than $40 million guarantees on his contract. If no trade agreement is reached prior to that deadline, he’ll be released and become a free agent.

A trade won’t be processed until March 15 at the start of the new league year, and most of that money will convey onto Carr’s new team if he is traded. This is complicated by the no-trade clause Carr has in his contract. He can throw his weight around and force a trade to a team if he chooses, but the Saints won’t be his only suitor. The Saints would also need to create about $34 million in salary cap space to fit him on their books, and they’re currently over the cap by more than $57 million. They have their work cut out for them.

So it’s on New Orleans to sell him on what they have to offer. They have a solid supporting cast on offense with pass-catchers Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, running back Alvin Kamara, and an offensive line flush with high draft picks. Their defense is stronger than any unit Carr has ever played with. We’ll see if they can successfully recruit him. It’s worth noting that Carr was drafted by Saints head coach Dennis Allen when he was coaching the Raiders back in 2014, so a relationship already exists there.

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Ronald Curry to interview for Broncos offensive coordinator job

Saints quarterbacks coach and passing-game coordinator Ronald Curry plans to interview for the Broncos offensive coordinator job, per Nola.com’s Jeff Duncan:

New Orleans Saints quarterbacks coach and passing-game coordinator Ronald Curry plans to interview for the Denver Broncos offensive coordinator job, per Nola.com’s Jeff Duncan. Curry took on an elevated role last season after previously working with the Saints wide receivers, and he’s widely respected around the league as a coach on the rise.

And he could soon be working for Sean Payton in Denver. Payton has started to build his Broncos staff by targeting multiple assistants in New Orleans: assistant offensive line coach Zach Strief is going to Denver, and he could be followed by offensive assistants Declan Doyle and Kevin Petry. Multiple former Saints staffers are also in consideration for jobs with the Broncos.

But Curry might be the biggest loss of them all. He’s played a big part in getting young players up to speed in the offense in recent years and helping multiple position groups remain functional as injuries hit the team hard. He isn’t exactly indispensable, but Curry is exactly the kind of talented young coach an organization would like to keep around. He wouldn’t be calling plays under Payton in Denver, but he would have a wider range of responsibilities and more opportunities for advancement than he’s seeing right now behind Pete Carmichael.

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Sean Payton offered Saints assistant Kevin Petry a role on Broncos’ staff

Nola.com’s Jeff Duncan reports that Sean Payton has offered a role on the Broncos’ staff to Saints assistant Kevin Petry:

We can add another name to the list of New Orleans Saints assistant coaches who may be following Sean Payton to the Denver Broncos. Nola.com’s Jeff Duncan reports that offensive assistant Kevin Petry has been offered a role on the Broncos’ coaching staff under Payton, who gave him his start in the NFL with the Saints. Petry is a Louisiana native and LSU graduate, so moving to Denver would be a big change.

Payton is actively filling out his staff from New Orleans’ roster, offering promotions to coaches like Zach Strief, Declan Doyle, and Petry while considering roles for a group of former Saints coaches that includes Dan Roushar, Kris Richard, and Joe Lombardi. Payton made a lot of connections over the years in New Orleans so some departures should be expected.

He also isn’t taking any high-level assistants with him; these are all assistant position coaches and football operations personnel who won’t be hard to replace. Offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr.’s name has not come up, but it’s unlikely the Saints would allow him to leave anyway. General manager Mickey Loomis has already pledged to block any lateral moves and the Saints wouldn’t want to go looking for a new offensive coordinator this late in the hiring cycle. We’ll update this space if Petry and those other assistants accept Payton’s offer.

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Cardinals assistant Marcus Robertson in consideration for Saints DB coach job

Cardinals defensive backs coach Marcus Robertson in consideration for Saints secondary coach/passing-game coordinator, per CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson:

This is interesting. CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson reports that the New Orleans Saints are considering Arizona Cardinals defensive backs coach Marcus Robertson as an addition to Dennis Allen’s coaching staff. They have an opening for a secondary coach after parting ways with Kris Richard earlier this offseason, Anderson adds that Robertson’s title would be secondary coach and defensive passing-game coordinator.

He has a couple of connections to the Saints coaching staff — Robertson worked as the assistant to Joe Woods as the defensive backs coach under Allen on the 2014 Raiders, and he and Woods continued to work together on the Denver Broncos until the Cardinals hired him away in 2019. Woods was recently brought in as the new Saints defensive coordinator so it makes sense for Allen to surround himself with coaches he’s comfortable working with. His job has to be on the line in 2023, so he should build a staff that shares his vision and coaching philosophies. If he’s going out, go out on his own terms.

Defensive assistant Cory Robinson ran the Saints defensive backs room in 2022, but he let his contract expire after the season and may be looking for better opportunities. If he chooses to not return in 2023, it makes sense for the Saints to look at experienced candidates like Robertson. Before he started his coaching career in 2007, he spent four years working as the Tennessee Titans’ director of player development — and before that, he started for 12 years as an NFL free safety and won All-Pro recognition with the Houston Oilers in 1993. He would bring a valuable veteran’s presence to the defensive coaching staff if the Saints can reach an agreement with him.

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Buccaneers interview Saints coach Ronald Curry for OC opening

The Buccaneers interviewed Ronald Curry for their offensive coordinator opening, meaning all three opposing NFC South teams have met with Saints assistant coaches:

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced Wednesday that they have interviewed Ronald Curry for their offensive coordinator opening, meaning all three opposing NFC South teams have met with New Orleans Saints assistant coaches. Tampa Bay dismissed offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich early in the offseason and has been busy searching for his replacement.

Curry is the Saints’ passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach, and he’s highly respected by his players and peers in league circles. He’s a coach on the rise who would be a big loss for New Orleans if he is offered the Bucs job. He was also selected as the National Team offensive coordinator at the Senior Bowl this week where he’s working closely with many 2023 draft prospects.

New Orleans already lost one talented assistant with defensive line coach Ryan Nielsen leaving to become the Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator; secondary coach Kris Richard interviewed for the same position with the Carolina Panthers, though it doesn’t appear he is a candidate for the job at this time. At any rate, there’s a real possibility that each of the Saints’ rivals around the division end up siphoning talent from Dennis Allen’s coaching staff. It’s something to watch out for in the days ahead.

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Saints, Broncos finalizing trade compensation for Sean Payton

The Broncos are finalizing compensation with the Saints to make Sean Payton their next head coach:

The Denver Broncos are finalizing compensation with the New Orleans Saints in exchange for Super-Bowl winning head coach Sean Payton, according to several insiders. ESPN’s Adam Schefter was first on the story.

According to Schefter, the Saints will receive the Broncos’ 2023 first-round pick (No. 30) and a 2024 second-round pick for Payton and New Orleans’ 2024 third-round selection.

That clears way for Payton to sign with the Broncos as their next head coach, where the two sides have to come to an agreement, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Payton stepped down as the Saints head coach a year ago, and he served as an analyst for FOX Sports. But there was always the belief that he’d make his way back to the NFL.

“Retirement, I don’t think is the right word today,” Payton said when he stepped down last year, via WWL. “I don’t know what’s next and it kind of feels good.”

Payton served as New Orleans’ head coach from 2006-21, during which he won nine playoff games, including a Super Bowl in 2010. Now he needs to get Russell Wilson’s career back on track and bring a title to Denver.

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