Tag: Mickey Loomis

Mickey Loomis clarifies Dennis Allen’s statement on young players

Mickey Loomis used Cameron Jordan and Demario Davis as examples of how good young players can develop into great talents, and stars, with time:

Dennis Allen recently said the New Orleans Saints don’t have any great young players, instead saying they have “young guys who are developing.” It was an odd comment for a head coach to make about his team, even when taken in context of the conversation.

So Saints general manager Mickey Loomis stepped in to expand on Allen’s comments by comparing young players to Cameron Jordan and Demario Davis. Those two players didn’t blossom into stars immediately.

Loomis pointed to the beginning of their careers, specifically the first four years where their tackles, sacks, and postseason honors were more pedestrian. It took some time but both Jordan and Davis developed into great players with the records and Pro Bowls to back it up. He then pointed to players such as Chris Olave, Bryan Bresee, Taliese Fuaga and Alontae Taylor as some of the players who could follow that same career arc.

While those players may not be stars yet, Loomis believes they could ascend and begin to get more accolades in the next four to five years similarly to Jordan and Davis.

Loomis ended up naming nearly every prominent young player on the team, but he understands they can’t all be stars. “Will they all do that? No. That’d be unrealistic. We don’t expect that. But certainly we have a lot of guys, and there’s others as well, who have that opportunity.”

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Mickey Loomis says he’s ‘bullish’ on young Saints quarterbacks

Jake Haener relieved Spencer Rattler vs. the Chargers, but Mickey Loomis remains ‘bullish’ on both of the Saints young quarterbacks:

Despite Jake Haener coming in in relief of Spencer Rattler against the Los Angeles Chargers, Mickey Loomis gave both of the New Orleans Saints’ young quarterbacks a vote of confidence.

Loomis joined the WWL Radio Coaches Show on Tuesday and expressed belief in both players saying, “I’m really bullish on Spencer and Jake both.”

It’d be reckless for Loomis say otherwise, but there is a likely a lot of truth in his statements.

Dennis Allen articulated how close the race for Derek Carr’s backup was coming into the season. Rattler’s struggles shouldn’t have changed that. Missing Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed left Rattler operating with an empty toolbox for multiple games. That doesn’t even begin to account for the protection issues.

Rattler definitely struggled, but asking a fifth round pick to perform well under those conditions in his first starts was a tall task. He didn’t hit the bar, but it would be too early to be out on the rookie.

As for Haener, he looked good in his limited action, so there’s no reason to not be bullish on him. The Saints should view their young quarterbacks similarly to how they did entering the year. These are players with potential but still in need of some refinement.

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Mickey Loomis’ stance on coaching changes hasn’t changed in 20 years

Mickey Loomis’ old quotes from 20 years ago about a head coaching change feel awfully similar to his sentiments about Dennis Allen today:

Mickey Loomis recently clarified to all New Orleans Saints fans that they have to look beyond the results when evaluating Dennis Allen. Well, let’s apply that same premise to Loomis himself.

Loomis said, “I think good organizations do is you look beyond the results. What’s the reason for the results, and how do you fix the reasons that keep you from winning? It’s not always about the head coach. Sometimes it is, but it’s not always about that.”

Hesitancy to look at the head coach is part of Loomis’ process. He did the same thing with Jim Haslett. ESPN’s Katherine Terrell dug up some old quotes from Loomis from an interview in Jan 2004 when asked about potential coaching changes.

At the time, the Saints were .500 in a three year span. Loomis felt firing the coach was the easy route but not the right route. “The right thing to do is to stay the course,” Loomis elaborated. “Often times that is the hardest thing to do. But I think that’s what we need to do.”

Haslett may have earned the benefit of the doubt at the time. He went 10-6 and won the NFC South before struggling the next three years. Allen, on the other hand, hasn’t earned the benefit of the doubt beyond simply being around for years.

Regardless, if we’re looking at the process, this type of statement from Loomis seems on brand. He believed in weathering the storm 20 years ago. Every comment about Allen suggests Loomis feels the same way in the present day.

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Saints would be picking top-6 if the 2025 NFL draft started today

The Saints would be picking top-six if the 2025 NFL draft started today. But it’s tough to see them stay there. When healthy, they might be too talented to fail:

The New Orleans Saints would be picking at No. 6 overall if the 2025 NFL draft started today, having fallen into a 2-5 start to their season after a five-week losing streak. The latest projections from Tankathon have the Saints making their pick awful early, but that could change depending on Monday night’s results. The Buccaneers-Ravens game won’t impact them much, but a Cardinals loss could push the Saints down to No. 7 (while a Chargers loss doesn’t move the needle).

But it’s tough to see them stay there. When healthy, they might be too talented to fail. The Saints showed what they can do with all hands on deck in the first two weeks of thee season, outscoring their opponents by a wider margin than anyone else around the league. Then they lost two close games to good teams. Attrition continued, and then they got run off their own field in back-to-back losses.

There’s a lot to be said for going in the tank, locking up a valuable draft pick, and using it to address a key position of need — landing a surefire rookie quarterback would be transformative, and the game’s best pass rushers and pass protectors can be found earliest in the draft, too.

Just don’t count on it. The Saints are slowly getting healthier. Veteran linebacker Pete Werner is expected back soon, and so is starting quarterback Derek Carr. Other offensive playmakers like right guard Cesar Ruiz and tight end/fullback Taysom Hill are returning soon, too. Eventually Pro Bowl center Erik McCoy will resume his place in the middle of the line. Even if they’re bruised or older (or both), this Saints team has too much talent on both sides of the ball to lose five more in a row.

And that’s been their story with Dennis Allen at head coach. In each of his three years they’ve gone into Week 8 with records of 2-4, 3-3, and 2-4, only to figure some things out and rebound in the second half. By Week 13 they’ve been 4-8 and 5-6. By season’s end they were 7-10 and 9-8. Not bad enough for a pick at the top of the draft to rebuild, but not good enough for the playoffs.

It’s a concerning pattern. You figure something has to give eventually. They’ll either get over the hump, fully collapse, or the front office’s patience with Allen will give out. If recent history is any indication, general manger Mickey Loomis, team president Dennis Lauscha, and team owner Gayle Benson aren’t in any great rush to blow things up and start over.

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Sean Payton’s return is all the Saints are talking about

NFL insider Josina Anderson reports Sean Payton’s return is all that’s being discussed in New Orleans. It likely isn’t anticipation of catching up, either:

Don’t let people tell you Sean Payton returning is just another game for him or the New Orleans Saints. That may be the message publicly, but Josina Anderson reported a league source told her Sean Payton’s return is “all they been talking about down here.”

Anderson inquired if the Saints were ready for him to return. The response was an emphatic, “oh yeah.” It’s doubtful they’re excited for a chance to catch up. It was reported earlier this week by Nola.com’s Jeff Duncan, some people didn’t want Drew Brees’ induction to be on the same day as Payton’s return.

There appears to be love lost for the Saints’ former head coach. Anderson’s report furthers this belief.

With Brees being in the building, everything will look very cozy. You’ll see pictures of Payton with players, Gayle Benson and maybe Mickey Loomis.

If you believe the reports, though, there is an underlying tension at least from the Saints’ side. That comes from the front office.

This game means more for everyone involved. There was also a report that New Orleans rejected Payton’s attempt to return to the team after his year away from coaching. If true, Payton wouldn’t forget or forgive that. Both sides step into this game with a point to prove.

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Mickey Loomis digs in his heels in support of Dennis Allen

Mickey Loomis doubled down on his support of Dennis Allen, suggesting there’s more to evaluating a coach than all the games he’s lost:

Credit where it’s due: Mickey Loomis joined the Saints Coaches Show on WWL Radio this week for a tough round of questions about the state of the New Orleans Saints. But that’s about all we can say for it. When it came to answering those tough questions, the Saints general manager and top decision-maker doubled down in support of head coach Dennis Allen.

“Everything you said is accurate,” Loomis conceded after being asked about the team’s performance in a four-game losing streak. “Results matter. They do. But I think one of the things that good organizations do, is man, you look beyond the results. What’s the reasons for the result? How do you fix the reasons that keep you from winning?”

Respectfully, you play to win the game. Tossing out a horrible record to shift blame is laughable, but Loomis tried it anyway: “It’s not always about the head coach. Sometimes it is. It’s about a lot of different variables. A lot of things are involved in winning.”

Sure, anyone in his position should take the big-picture view. But at this point we know this story. Coming out of Week 6, Allen has guided the Saints to a 2-4 record twice with a 3-3 peak slotted in-between. His defense has collapsed, again, and he’s having to make another midseason effort to clean up missed tackles and blown coverage assignments. Again.

Look at the facts. Allen has driven the Saints to an 18-22 record since he was hired. They’re 2-9 against opponents with winning records. They’re the only NFL team to outscore their opponents and post a losing record in that span. Of the 13 teams with a positive point differential since Allen was hired, only the Saints haven’t made the playoffs. They’ve tried different quarterbacks, coordinators, position coaches, and play callers, but Allen has been the common factor. At some point Loomis must look at his performance with a critical eye. A more engaged owner would scrutinize Loomis, too.

Loomis acknowledged that’s something he may have to do someday, but not yet: “So we’ll look at that when the time comes. But the time is not right now. We have a lot of games left.”

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Dennis Allen’s record against good teams has gotten even worse

Dennis Allen’s record against good teams just got even worse. He’s now 2-9 against opponents who had winning records at kickoff as Saints head coach:

It’s commonly held in the NFL that you are who your record says you are, and that doesn’t bode well for Dennis Allen. The New Orleans Saints head coach is now 2-9 against opponents who held winning records at kickoff. Since being hired back in 2022, Allen has notched just two wins against quality matchups.

And those two wins don’t look as impressive in hindsight. Allen’s Saints beat the Gardner Minshew-led Philadelphia Eagles late in 2022, and his second victory came against an overhyped Dallas Cowboys team that was 1-0 — and has since struggled to tread water at 3-3. Even the high-water marks of Allen’s tenure begin to fade with the passage of time.

Mickey Loomis has preached patience with his choice for Sean Payton’s successor, but time can’t be on Allen’s side. He’s 2-9 against winning teams, which suggests he’s been outfoxed and outcoached by too many opponents who knew what they were doing. But he’s only managed to stay afloat against vulnerable teams. Allen is 12-10 in games against teams who had fewer wins than losses. And when the opposing team had a tied record at .500? He’s just 4-3.

That’s why it’s tough to get too amped up for Thursday night’s game against Payton’s Broncos. A win or loss against a 3-3 team with a bad rookie quarterback doesn’t move the needle regardless of who’s coaching them. Bragging rights would be nice for whoever proves they don’t need the other (whether that’s the Saints or Payton himself), but the Saints have bigger fish to fry. Loomis has ensured a win or loss on Thursday night won’t cost Allen his job, but many fans have already seen enough to know the score. Just look at his record.

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Alvin Kamara is doing his part to earn a new contract with the Saints

Alvin Kamara is doing his part to earn a new contract with the Saints by playing at a high level — while injured. But will his efforts be rewarded?

Alvin Kamara is doing his part to earn a new contract with the New Orleans Saints by playing at a high level — while injured with a couple of broken ribs. But will his efforts be rewarded with a new deal?

They should be, but it’s tough to say if that’s how this story ends. Kamara has done everything the right way throughout this process. He didn’t hold out at training camp or demand a trade to a team willing to pay him what he wants. He’s worked hard and been a good mentor to his younger teammates. His bargained in good faith and made it clear what he wants and why he wants it. And his stats speak for themselves. After four weeks, Kamara leads the league in yards from scrimmage (536), and he’s tied for the most touchdowns scored (6).

It’s just too soon to say whether he’ll get what he’s seeking. Kamara didn’t want these contract talks to become a distraction during the season, so he chose to table them until the spring. And things could look radically different at that time. No running back has stepped up to take touches from him through the first four games. He’s looked exactly as dynamic in Klint Kubiak’s offense as everyone hoped. There’s a very strong likelihood that Kamara will own the team’s rushing yards title by the time he sits back down at the negotiating table.

And that might make it more difficult for the Saints to draw up a fair contract offer. If Mickey Loomis is determined to stand on what he’s already offered, even after a successful season for Kamara, he could make the call to cut Kamara and move on with a younger running back (like Boise State’s Heisman Trophy candidate Ashton Jeanty). But you hope it doesn’t come to that.

Hope is really what it’s all about. Kamara is hoping his efforts result in a new deal too keep him in New Orleans until he’s finished playing football. Loomis and the Saints are hoping an extension won’t wreck their already-stressed salary cap. Kamara’s strong September has created a lot of hope in Saints fans that he’ll be able to keep it up. We’ll just have to wait and see whether that hope was warranted.

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If Dennis Allen’s seat wasn’t hot before, it had better be now

A 2-0 start quieted calls for Dennis Allen’s job. But if his seat wasn’t hot before, it had better be after the Saints fell to 2-2 on his watch:

Dennis Allen was a trendy pick to be the first head coach fired this year, until a 2-0 start put that notion on ice. But if his seat wasn’t hot before, it had better be after the New Orleans Saints fell to 2-2 on Sunday. Allen hasn’t done anything to win that much goodwill from Mickey Loomis, Gayle Benson, and other decision-makers on Airline Drive.

Of the ten head coaches hired in 2022, five have won fewer games than Allen has with the Saints, and three of them have already been fired. Of those  remaining Allen is tied with embattled Jacksonville Jaguars coach Doug Pederson at 18-20, trailing behind Todd Bowles (20-18 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Mike McDaniel (21-16 with the Miami Dolphins, pending their Monday night matchup with the Tennessee Titans), and Kevin O’Connell (24-14 with the Minnesota Vikings).

Loomis has stubbornly argued that Allen’s run with the Raiders a decade ago shouldn’t matter much in evaluating his performance today. And there’s some merit to that — the NFL is known for its “What have you done for me lately?” mindset. But you can’t ignore Allen’s career record. He’s coached 74 games and only won 27 of them.

Of the 177 head coaches who have worked at least 60 games in the NFL, Allen ranks 167th in career win percentage (.351). If you only want to look at those coaches with 70-plus games to evaluate, Allen ranks 150th out of 158.

And if, like Loomis, you’re an apologist who only wants Allen’s 38-game tenure with the Saints to be considered? Of the 250 coaches with at least 38 games to their name, his win percentage (.474) ranks 133rd. Is that really worth waiting on to see if he can turn the corner?

Allen’s defense is supposed to be his bread and butter. But they’ve given up seven yards per carry in back-to-back weeks while failing to pressure an immobile quarterback in Kirk Cousins or guard a late lead against the Falcons. And these have been problems for three years now, if not longer. Allen can coach a secondary but he can’t build a strong defensive line, and his team works with such a thin margin for error that every pass interference penalty, muffed punt, and ball batted up at the line of scrimmage matters.

So what’s to be done? Allen’s contract is up after the 2025 season. The Saints were hesitant to fire him after his 7-10 start because of the guarantees left on it (even though they pay exponentially more than that in dead money for players not on their roster every year), and he did make some incremental progress to finish 9-8 last season. But we’re in Year 3. Allen is struggling to stay over .500 and win as many games as he loses. He’s had every excuse made for him and the Saints have worked hard to get him his quarterback, his offensive coordinator, his position coaches and training staff, and he still can’t produce results. They’re in third place in the NFC South, the worst division in pro football, yet again.

There’s no reason Year 4 should be promised to him, but don’t be shocked if Allen finishes the season and is tasked with coaching for his job next season. Loomis is normally too aggressive for his own good. In this case, he might be too stubborn to admit he got this hire wrong and draw out the inevitable. If we’re wrong, and Allen does right the ship and figure out how to close tight games? Then we’ll praise him for it. But he hasn’t earned that confidence yet, and time to do so is rapidly running out.

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Saints may regret waiting on Alvin Kamara’s contract extension

The Saints may regret waiting to shake hands on Alvin Kamara’s contract extension. He’s been an even greater fit in Klint Kubiak’s offense than advertised:

The New Orleans Saints may regret waiting to shake hands on Alvin Kamara’s contract extension. He’s been an even greater fit in Klint Kubiak’s offense than advertised. As NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport noted on Sunday morning, Kamara’s offseason push for a new deal went nowhere. He’s since tabled discussions until 2025 and focused on playing his best football.

And you can’t argue  with results. Kamara goes into Week 3 leading the league in scrimmage yards (290) and touchdowns scored (5). Kubiak’s zone-heavy run scheme has opened a lot of lanes for Kamara to work with, and they’re doing a better job getting him the ball in space as a receiver.

So now Kamara is headed into the final year of his contract in 2025, accounting for a staggering $29 million against next year’s salary cap. But  don’t fall for the distractions — the Saints have no intention of paying out the unguaranteed $25 million Kamara is owed next offseason, so no, he isn’t the NFL’s second-highest paid running back. They’ll have the option to cut him and save all $25 million if they choose.

But if Kamara keeps up this pace and has a career year? He just might have the Saints over a barrel. It would be really difficult for Mickey Loomis to justify cutting the fan-favorite focus of his offense (possibly coming off his first 1,000-yard season as a rusher), even if he’s 30. Loomis and Khai Harley are as creative in working around the cap as they come, but we can’t rule out the possibility they could be in a position where they have to pay Kamara  top-dollar.

Hopefully both sides can reach a deal in the spring after Kamara has enjoyed a strong season, leading the Saints back to the playoffs. He’s made it known he wants to finish his career in New Orleans. Let’s hope the Saints don’t end up regretting  not signing Kamara to a new deal this summer when they had the chance.

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