Saints – Page 547 – Syndication Server

Get to know new Saints wide receivers coach Kodi Burns

Get to know new Saints wide receivers coach Kodi Burns, a college teammate of Cam Newton’s and a key Tennessee assistant:

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Dennis Allen’s search for new assistant coaches took an unexpected turn on Monday, when former Tennessee wide receivers coach Kodi Burns accepted the same position with the New Orleans Saints. It’s an interesting move that goes against the past additions Allen made to his staff — Burns doesn’t have any real connections with the previous Sean Payton regime, having exclusively coached at the college level before.

He’s also very young for an NFL position coach at just 33, compared to other recent hires like offensive line coach Doug Marrone (57), Allen himself (49), and retained offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael (50), who returned to the role after initially choosing to step down. It’s an interesting dynamic, but that youth has been an asset for Burns so far. Let’s get to know him a bit better:

Saints to hire former Tennessee, Auburn WR coach Kodi Burns

New Orleans Saints to hire Tennessee WR coach Kodi Burns for the same position on their staff:

Sources: University of Tennessee WR coach Kodi Burns has accepted the New Orleans Saints wide receivers job. Burns is a former Auburn player who has also coached at Middle Tennessee, Arizona State and Auburn.

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) February 21, 2022

This is exciting: the New Orleans Saints are hiring Tennessee Volunteers wide receivers coach Kodi Burns for the same position on Dennis Allen’s coaching staff, as first reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel. Just 33 years old, Burns spent four years with the Auburn Tigers before moving to Tennessee in 2021, with previous stops at Samford, Middle Tennessee, and Arizona State.

And he’s a really intriguing addition for New Orleans. Burns is a former player himself — he was college teammates with Cam Newton at Auburn — and that has done a lot to help him connect with young players. But he’s also handled big responsibilities at Auburn on Gus Malzahn’s staff, coaching the receivers while also handling duties as passing game coordinator and co-offensive coordinator.

So he’s a smart young coach with a reputation for recruiting and developing talent. That’s a big get for addressing maybe the shakiest position group on the roster, where the Saints are putting a lot of pressure on Michael Thomas to return to form after he missed most of two years with an injury. Bringing in Burns’ fresh perspective to work with ascending players like Deonte Harty and Marquez Callaway could be big.

He’s certainly got big shoes to fill. Burns will be replacing longtime receivers coach Curtis Johnson, who was let go upon Allen’s promotion to head coach. Pete Carmichael was retained as offensive coordinator but he’ll be working closely with Burns in scouting, drafting, and developing receivers. The Saints still need to figure out their future at quarterback, but this is a good start to tackling one of their other highest priorities right now.

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4 landing spots for Saints free agent Kwon Alexander

Kwon Alexander has become a fan-favorite with the Saints, but between a promising backup waiting in the wings and the cap crunch looming the team may let him walk in free agency. 4 good landing spots for him:

This is going to be tough. The New Orleans Saints have a lot of reasons to work on a new deal with Kwon Alexander. He’s been everything they hoped to find in trading for him a couple years back, providing much-needed playmaking ability, NFL experience, and a sparkplug of energy in the lineup next to Demario Davis. He’s been a big part of their success on defense. You’d hope the team can work something out, but he’s earned a nice payday and should continue to start in the NFL. That may not be something the Saints can accommodate.

Alexander is a free agent coming off of a really strong year. And the Saints have an up-and-comer behind him on the depth chart in 2021 draft pick Pete Werner, who himself played well enough to earn more minutes. Unless Dennis Allen is about to dramatically shift his tendencies and take a defensive back (likely nickel C.J. Gardner-Johnson) off the field for most of their snaps to field a third linebacker, letting Alexander walk so Werner can step up makes the most sense. With Zack Baun unable to crack the rotation, they can’t afford to have two high draft picks as backups, especially when Werner looked so impressive as a rookie.

So where could Alexander go in free agency? Almost every team in the league should be happy to sign him as a 27-year-old in his athletic prime, coming off of a great season. But I’ve narrowed down the list to four teams that feel like the most-likely landing spots for him if he’s on his way out in New Orleans:

2022 draft prospect spotlight: Saints met with Miami WR Mike Harley Jr.

The Saints had an ‘especially productive’ meeting with Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Mike Harley Jr., a prospect in the 2022 NFL draft:

#Miami WR Mike Harley Jr. enters the 2022 #NFLDraft as the program's all-time receprions leader, an astounding accomplishment. He was excellent at the @Hula_Bowl where he met w/ 25+ teams & had especially productive & long meetings with the #Saints, #Broncos, #Chiefs and #Vikings

— Justin M (@JustinM_NFL) February 16, 2022

Here’s one 2022 NFL draft prospect already on the New Orleans Saints’ radar: Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Mike Harley Jr. The Draft Network’s Justin Melo reports that Harley met with more than 25 teams at the Hula Bowl all-star game, counting the Saints among a handful of meetings which he described as lengthy and “especially productive.”

Listed at 5-foot-11 and 182 pounds, Harley appeared in 52 games over five years and shattered a 20-year school record for career receptions (182) that was set by former Indianapolis Colts star and New Orleans native Reggie Wayne (175). He profiles as more of a possession receiver rather than a big-play threat, though, ranking seventh in career receiving yards (2,158) and ninth in touchdown receptions (15). His 11.9 yards per catch average is the lowest of all Hurricanes with 120 or more career receptions. He also didn’t get many looks in the return game, fielding 3 punts for 15 yards and 12 kicks for 244 yards.

Still, he could be a good get for the Saints. New Orleans badly needs help at wide receiver, with Michael Thomas still recovering from ankle surgery while Marquez Callaway looks to build on a solid second season. A couple of starters are pending free agents in Deonte Harty (restricted) and Tre’Quan Smith (unrestricted), as well as backups like Kenny Stills, Ty Montgomery, and Lil’Jordan Humphrey (restricted).

The other five receivers under contract for 2022 — Kevin White, Easop Winston Jr., Kawaan Baker, Kirk Merritt, and Jalen McCleskey — combined for just two catches last season. Some new additions and significant changes are going to be necessary.

As for Harley: he was not invited to the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, so he’ll have to wait and go through athletic timing and measurements at Miami’s pro day in the weeks ahead. He’s currently projected to be picked on the third day of the draft or be signed as a priority free agent after the event, but clearly plenty of teams are taking a look at him.

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7 teams that could sign pending free agent QB Jameis Winston

Jameis Winston shouldn’t lack for suitors in free agency. Quarterback upheaval is taking place across the league, and these 7 teams could try to recruit him:

The New Orleans Saints chose to retain offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael after spending a week or two searching for his replacement, and his return to that job should make it more likely that Jameis Winston re-signs with the team. But he’s still a pending free agent, and after playing for two years on a fraction of a starter’s salary (and suffering a season-ending knee injury in the process) Winston owes it to himself and his family to go looking for the best offer on the market.

Maybe the best offer comes from the Saints. But there are isn’t a dearth of quarterback-needy teams — far from it. Half a dozen or more squads may be starting new passers in 2022, and enough of them have enough money to throw around to where we shouldn’t assume Winston stays in New Orleans. If he’s at all open to leaving (or if the Saints instead choose to go in a different direction), he should have other options. Let’s explore:

What does Pete Carmichael’s return mean for Jameis Winston, Taysom Hill?

The Saints retained Pete Carmichael as offensive coordinator, which carries big implications for both Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill:

The New Orleans Saints didn’t retain Pete Carmichael just for the sake of it. Keeping an established offensive coordinator on the roster speaks volumes about their vision for 2022 — and the move carries serious implications for both of their top two quarterbacks, including free agent-to-be Jameis Winston and banged-up dynamo Taysom Hill.

Let’s start with Winston. He first signed with the Saints (on a contract well beneath his market value) explicitly for the experience of being coached up by Sean Payton while working with Drew Brees. Neither Payton nor Brees are around anymore, but Carmichael is. He’s put in extensive time with Carmichael in mastering the offense and ironing out the flaws in his game, and that familiarity should go a long way in convincing Winston to stay.

But let’s not kid ourselves: he’ll have options. There will be a plethora of quarterback-needy teams across the league moving on from underperforming starters, ranging from the Pittsburgh Steelers and Indianapolis Colts to the Denver Broncos and Washington Commanders. Maybe teams in less-certain conditions like the Houston Texans and Carolina Panthers give Winston a call. How unrealistic is it for him to return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, by the way?

The point is that Winston is going to be in a better spot to get paid starter’s money with a stronger supporting cast than the Saints can offer him. If they do want to re-sign him, they can pitch him on a familiar play caller in Carmichael and a willingness to invest in better weapons and protection for him. It’s a more compelling argument than it would be if the Saints were starting over fresh with a new offensive coordinator installing their own system. And maybe it’s exactly what Winston is looking for.

Now let’s talk about Hill. One of Payton’s last acts as Saints head coach was to make sure his favorite player got paid, signing Hill to a multiyear contract extension. He’s got a $12.3 million cap hit this season. If the Saints had brought in a new coordinator who didn’t want Hill to be part of their plans, the Saints could designate him a post-June 1 cut and get $10.1 million back in savings later this summer.

But it doesn’t feel like that will be the case with Carmichael. He’s been part of the process with Hill every step of the way. When Payton first began rolling out Hill-heavy personnel packages, Carmichael was working with them behind the scenes to see why the player enticed Payton so strongly. And when Hill worked his way into the training camp quarterback competition with Winston, he helped coach them both up. After Hill was named the starter late in the 2021 season, Carmichael was there crafting game plans and even calling plays in Hill’s road win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (a game Payton missed while in COVID-19 protocol).

So it stands to reason that Hill will remain in the plans for New Orleans now that Carmichael is calling plays full-time, and his contract is readymade for a restructure that would save more than $7.2 million against the cap. But Hill’s specific role is a mystery. Will Carmichael be as eager to throw him in a quarterback competition as Payton was? Or does he view Hill as more of a position-flexible player who can run routes and throw blocks, which is where his Saints career really took off?

Either way, Hill’s immediate future with the team feels safe. He’s just got to remain healthy. The list of injuries he racked up in 2021 are alarming: he’s currently recovering from Lisfranc foot surgery, having dealt with a torn ligament in his throwing hand, plantar fascia in his other foot, plus a month-long absence managing symptoms from a serious concussion. He’s a warrior, but his style of play has a cost. What is Carmichael’s vision for getting the most out of Hill while not jeopardizing his health? Would he be better protected as a quarterback? And if so, would he be a candidate to start or just an expensive backup?

It’s absolutely a trope to say this, but there are more questions than answers right now. As would be the case with any other coach, though, we won’t get many answers until players hit the practice field in the spring. At least with the Saints hiring a known quantity we know exactly which questions to ask about Carmichael and his quarterbacks. That helps illustrate a road map for what comes next. Let’s see where it takes us.

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Saints risk confusing continuity for complacency in retaining Pete Carmichael

Settling for Pete Carmichael suggests the Saints want to run a Sean Payton-and-Drew Brees offense without Payton or Brees. How much of that success was on Carmichael?

We’re on to more of the same from Dennis Allen’s New Orleans Saints regime. The Saints have surveyed the field of candidates, interviewed a few of them, and went with another safe and comfortable choice in retaining Pete Carmichael as offensive coordinator. That lines up with other Sean Payton coaching tree moves like hiring Doug Marrone as offensive line coach and, well, picking Allen himself as head coach. They just haven’t seen a reason to seriously look outside their established circle, much less shake things up by hiring someone new.

So what’s the deal with this Carmichael move? Nola.com’s Jeff Duncan reported last week that it was Carmichael’s decision to step down to a lesser role, making room for a new offensive coordinator. He also didn’t want to interview for head coach. His first instinct wasn’t to stay on as offensive coordinator. It wasn’t until the Saints interviewed other candidates and circled back to him that he agreed to return as offensive coordinator.

Maybe that was a negotiating ploy to try and get a raise or a contract extension (or both). Maybe he just wanted to feel wanted. But it speaks to the larger narrative of Carmichael’s career — in which he’s rarely interviewed for head coaching gigs, and often taken a backseat to Payton — that he just lacks ambition. There’s a time and place for that attitude. It’s tough to see this current moment in Saints history as a good time to settle. It feels like they’re comfortable only winning 9 or 10 games a year and maybe missing the playoffs. So long as seats are filled in the Superdome and TV ratings are strong, that’s enough for them.

But hey, maybe I’m wrong. The Saints have been wildly successful throughout Carmichael’s tenure, and the 2021 season was very much an aberration. Between injuries and COVID-19 problems and suspensions, it’s easy to write that one off as an anomaly. If the Saints invest in their offense and strengthen the depth chart and get some better luck, they should be on the right track. But that would’ve been the case for anyone they hired.

And maybe Carmichael has a binder full of fresh ideas that Payton didn’t consider. We’ve all been wound so tight over him just running Payton’s plays without any changes and that may not be the case. He could very well install a couple of new packages in minicamps and usher in a bright new era of offense.

I just can’t help but doubt this being the right approach. That system was successful for so long because Sean Payton drew the plays and Drew Brees executed them. Now neither of them are here. The future of their two cornerstone playmakers is also in doubt — how many games could Alvin Kamara be suspended, and when will Michael Thomas be himself again? If the Saints are just looking to run a Payton-and-Brees offense without Payton and Brees, and with uncertainty surrounding their best pass catchers, it’s really hard to feel optimistic about this strategy. We’ll have to wait and see.

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Kentucky OC Liam Coen was ‘in the mix’ for Saints job, may join Rams instead

Kentucky offensive coordinator Liam Coen was ‘in the mix’ for Saints job, may join Rams instead:

Well, that’s something. NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill reports that the Saints had Kentucky Wildcats offensive coordinator Liam Coen “in the mix” for the same job on their staff, though they did not ultimately offer him a contract. Instead, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports, Coen has an opportunity for a return to the Los Angeles Rams as their new offensive coordinator. He’s worked with Sean McVay before as quarterbacks coach.

Coen put himself on the college football map last season by spearheading Kentucky’s 10-3 run, designing an offense with wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson and running back Christopher Rodriguez Jr. leading the way — they each racked up more than 1,400 yards from scrimmage and scored a combined 20 touchdowns. That’s exactly the sort of tandem production you’d hope he could implement with Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara, which helps explain the Saints’ interest in him.

But that’s not going to happen now that the team has decided to settle with Pete Carmichael as offensive coordinator. Carmichael has split time calling plays with Sean Payton throughout his 12-year tenure as offensive coordinator, and now he’s got a shot to do it all himself. And that raises its own questions. We know he can call an effective game plan, but how much responsibility has he had in designing plays and marshalling position coaches?

Those are all concerns the Saints had to have been asking during interviews, but they won’t get real answers for until the season starts. Even if he’s only done it at the college level, at least Coen could say that he did have that proven experience. Unfortunately, he’s not in New Orleans’ plans now. And there’s a real possibility he ends up joining an NFC rival who just won the Super Bowl.

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Steelers trade up to snag Saints’ top QB prospect in Todd McShay’s NFL mock draft

Todd McShay’s latest mock draft has the Saints picking a QB, but what’s interesting is him projecting the Steelers to trade up and get who may be New Orleans’ preferred passer:

Well that’s interesting. NFL mock drafts rarely have predictive power given how widely opinions can range across the league, but they do become worth monitoring as we get closer to the 2022 NFL draft. Media analysts and draft experts have had time to meet with scouts and team executives around recent all-star events, and they’ll get even more exposure at the upcoming NFL Scouting Combine. Those conversations share insight to what league decision-makers are thinking about different prospects and how they may pan out in the pros.

And that’s reflected in Todd McShay’s latest mock draft for ESPN, where he does have the New Orleans Saints picking a quarterback in the first round. But he’s drawn up a scenario where the passer New Orleans selects isn’t their preferred prospect, with the Pittsburgh Steelers moving up to get ahead of the Saints and pick Liberty’s Malik Willis before New Orleans can get their pick in. McShay explains:

“If we get to this point and all but one of the quarterbacks are still on the board, the Steelers have to be on the phone with Chargers GM Tom Telesco. The Saints are lurking there at No. 18, and Pittsburgh knows it has to make a move to get its guy before New Orleans is on the clock. Los Angeles, meanwhile, knows that a three-pick slide to No. 20 doesn’t impact its draft much. The Steelers would go QB, and the Saints could follow suit. That means the Chargers would in all likelihood get the same player at No. 20 that they would have gotten at No. 17. Plus, they’d get another pick or two.”

That would be crushing, if this is how it shakes out. If the Saints truly value Willis as the best fit for them in this rookie class, they’ve got to try to trade up and get him — their failure to do so has been an organizational regret since 2017, when the Kansas City Chiefs bounded halfway up the draft board to take Patrick Mahomes just minutes before the Saints were prepared to. Having that happen again (even if Willis isn’t comparable to Mahomes as a prospect) would be extremely painful.

It’s an all-too-real scenario. But it’s also speculative, and we don’t know how the Saints have ranked this year’s rookie passers. Maybe Willis wouldn’t be their first choice after all. So which quarterback does McShay see the Saints settling for? Their next-best option is Ole Miss passer Matt Corral, of whom he wrote:

“Despite a big contract, Taysom Hill isn’t the Saints’ answer at quarterback. Will they re-sign Jameis Winston? Could they find a way to make a big improvement via trade? New coach Dennis Allen will exhaust all options under center, though the team’s perpetual salary-cap concerns could limit them. New Orleans tied Carolina for a league-low 58.1% completion percentage in 2021, and their 187.4 passing yards per game were last in the NFL. Corral has a live arm, will lead receivers into extra yardage and can tuck-and-run when necessary. He’s tough in the pocket, but that has brought on some durability concerns that will need to be evaluated. Corral hurt his ankle in Ole Miss’ bowl game.”

That’s not a terrible outcome. Depending on who you ask, Corral — not Willis, nor Pittsburgh product Kenny Pickett, who McShay has going off the board earlier — could be the best rookie quarterback prospect. And obviously each team is going to feel differently after pouring over their scouting reports and considering how each passer might fit their system.

Maybe the Saints do end up with Corral after all, and maybe he was their preference all along. The only thing that’s certain is we’ve got a long way to go until April’s draft, and the Saints may not have the patience to wait that long and address their biggest roster need.

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After interviewing outside candidates, Saints stick with Pete Carmichael as OC

After interviewing several outside candidates, Saints plan to stick with Pete Carmichael at offensive coordinator:

Important news for the #Saints: Pete Carmichael will stay as the offensive coordinator, source said. The team did several OC interviews, but came back to the best option being on their staff. More continuity in NO for coach Dennis Allen.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 17, 2022

Huh. After interviewing multiple outside candidates including Jay Gruden, a veteran offensive coordinator and former Washington Commanders head coach, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that the New Orleans Saints plan to stick with longtime offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael. NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill confirmed the move. Just as with the promotion of defensive coordinator Dennis Allen to head coach, the team is putting a premium on maintaining continuity during the post-Sean Payton era.

It makes sense. Carmichael has held the job since 2009 and has had success before as a play caller, in 2012 and again through much of the 2016 season. Now it’s time for him to fully step out of Payton’s shadow. At least the Saints did their due diligence in meeting with multiple coaches about the job before deciding to stay the course with Carmichael.

We’ll see if it works out, though. Carmichael has had more of a role in planning for games each week than in executing them, but there isn’t a coach in the league who better knows the system he and Payton built. Hopefully Carmichael is eager to introduce some of his own ideas to the mix.

And now, he and Allen have to finish adjusting the offensive coaching staff by hiring a receivers coach — and then tackle the biggest challenge of their offseason in finding a quarterback. Maybe the decision to retain Carmichael helps keep Jameis Winston in town even with other offers out there in free agency. We’ll know soon whether the Saints intend to promote from in-house at defensive coordinator or bring in one of several candidates they’ve met with.

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