How many NFL teams are putting a quarterbacks coach on the headset during their preseason games? The New Orleans Saints are in that number, with head coach Dennis Allen having chosen to give play-calling duties to Ronald Curry in their second exhibition game this summer. This was Curry’s first NFL experience in that role after working with the Saints as a position coach since 2016.
It’s an interesting development for Curry, who this offseason added another title to his job description: passing game coordinator. That gives him greater influence on the offense and more interaction with both his quarterbacks and the receiving corps (a position he coached for five years in New Orleans, prior to shifting focus to quarterbacks), with Pete Carmichael Jr. still on top of things as offensive coordinator.
Allen said that the reason Curry was given play-calling duties against the Green Bay Packers was to get him some experience should he be needed in an emergency — which makes sense given all of the random absences the team has had to deal with the last two years during the COVID-19 pandemic. The end result of that game (a 20-10 loss) doesn’t matter. What’s key is that Curry was able to test his instincts and play-calling process in a live game, evaluating how to best approach a variety of different situations.
But here’s where I’m putting on a tinfoil hat and speculating. Maybe something bigger is in the works. Carmichael was set to take a less-prominent role with New Orleans this offseason after Sean Payton stepped down as head coach, but the team was able to convince him to stay in this role after interviewing a couple of replacement candidates. At the same time, Curry was promoted to passing game coordinator. Possibly as a step towards naming him the offensive coordinator in a year or two, putting him in position to learn more closely from one of the longest-tenured OC’s in the league.
Maybe that’s not the case, and this is just a natural progression in Curry’s coaching career. But it feels like a real possibility given Carmichael’s reluctance to stay in this position. Getting him to return for one more year as the OC while training his successor might not have been a hard sell. But again, that’s just my speculation. Time will tell if there’s anything to this theory.
At any rate, it’s cool to see Curry get this opportunity. His players and peers have raved about him as his upward trajectory has taken off, and Allen is right to point out the importance of preparation. Should Carmichael miss time for any reason, Curry now has a better idea of what his in-game responsibilities may be with the call sheet in hand.
As for who’s calling plays on defense: Allen has spoken before about how this would be a collaborative process, and how he isn’t eager to essentially hand over his baby to someone else. Naming co-defensive coordinators Kris Richard and Ryan Nielsen didn’t exactly clarify things. But so far in preseason it’s been Nielsen on the mic, which checks out given Richard’s past experience as a defensive play caller with the Seattle Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys. That’s not something Nielsen has done much before, so these preseason games are a good opportunity for him to learn on the job. Allen is expected to hold onto that gig during the season, but as is the case with his offense, there’s no harm in preparing a backup plan.
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