Tag: Vikings

Pro Football Talk publishes wild, over-the-top tweet about Caleb Williams, unleashing NFL draft uproar

Pro Football Talk thinks Caleb Williams is basically a Football Jesus who will resurrect the Bears and become an NFL legend.

Oh, my goodness. We know that people and publications try to create publicity and buzz all the time, saying things that will push others’ buttons and generate a reaction. Pro Football Talk certainly did that on Friday, and not in a vile or inappropriate way. This wasn’t a shameful or embarrassing tweet, but it certainly rates as a bold take and an act of sticking out one’s neck in terms of making a big prediction about an NFL draft prospect. PFT is fully sold on Caleb Williams as the savior of the Chicago Bears and a transcendent NFL player who will transform the Bears in the NFC North.

Just how fully is Pro Football Talk convinced that Caleb is the truth in these weeks before the NFL draft? Read the tweet and then look at all the emotional responses to it:

ESPN highlights a free agent pass rusher fit for the Saints

ESPN highlighted the best team fits for its top 50 free agent, linking the New Orleans Saints to pass rusher Za’Darius Smith:

We’re moving closer to free agency, and there’s a good chance the New Orleans Saints are going to make some moves to improve their team. ESPN has already shared their list of the top 50 free agents — now, ESPN staff writer Matt Bowen has linked each of those players with the best teams they could join in March.

And one name was highlighted for the Saints: Za’Darius Smith. Here’s why Bowen sees New Orleans as a good fit for him:

Given the Saints’ cap issues, this would probably be a one-year deal for Smith to play in Dennis Allen’s multiple defense. I like the fit here, though, given Smith’s pass rush versatility. Allen could deploy him off the edge or inside as a stand-up defensive tackle/nose. He’s a power rusher who has 60 sacks in his career (5½ with the Browns in 2023), and New Orleans finished tied for 28th in sacks last season with 34.

Smith has the size that the Saints covet off the edge, and he brings productivity that few players in their lineup can match — Pro Football Focus charting credited him with 61 and 80 quarterback pressures in his last two seasons on the Cleveland Browns and Minnesota Vikings. Before that, he was a two-time Pro Bowler with the Green Bay Packers and a big piece in the Baltimore Ravens’ rotation to start his career.

If the money checks out, he’d be a good get. But he shouldn’t be seen as the long-term fix at defensive end. Smith is an older player (he’ll be 32 when the season starts) and he would be joining an aging defense. Four of their top 11 defenders in snaps played are 30 or older, including Cameron Jordan, the second-oldest player on the team. Having two defensive ends on the wrong side of 30 and few young draft picks developing into known commodities behind them is worrisome.

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Saints adding another former Gary Kubiak assistant to 2024 coaching staff

The Saints are adding another former Gary Kubiak assistant to their coaching staff, who has also worked with Klint Kubiak before:

The New Orleans Saints are putting an emphasis on getting their run game right in 2024, which means bringing in new coaches — and there’s going to be a lot of synergy between some of their most important new additions. Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak has already picked John Benton as his offensive line coach, and Nola.com’s Matthew Paras reports that Rick Dennison is being added to the coaching staff in a yet-to-be-determined role.

Dennison, 65, has worked with Kubiak before on the Minnesota Vikings as a senior advisor, offensive line coach, and run game coordinator. But before that, he worked under Gary Kubiak on the Houston Texans as their offensive coordinator. At that same time, Benton was the Texans offensive line coach.

They both played a key part in developing a strong Houston offensive line and dominant rushing attack led by Arian Foster, who averaged 98.5 yards per game and scored 47 touchdown runs in 54 games when they were both on staff from 2010 to 2013 (including the playoffs). The Saints are hoping to get similar production out of Kendre Miller and Alvin Kamara by installing a similar one-cut rushing scheme.

So while Dennison’s exact role is yet unknown, we should expect him to be working with the offensive line and run game in some capacity given it’s his area of expertise. And the Saints could use the help. They haven’t gotten enough out of young draft picks in that phase like Miller and offensive linemen Trevor Penning, Cesar Ruiz, and Nick Saldiveri. Upgrading the rushing attack should help take pressure off of Derek Carr and buy more time for the defense to rest up until their numbers are called to go into the game. We can see from these moves that the Saints are taking a well thought-out approach by hiring coaches who have found success together before. Hopefully it pays off.

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Saints make it official, announce Klint Kubiak as their new offensive coordinator

The New Orleans Saints have made it official, announcing Klint Kubiak as their new offensive coordinator:

The New Orleans Saints have made it official, announcing Klint Kubiak as their new offensive coordinator for the 2024 season. Kubiak most recently worked as the San Francisco 49ers pass game specialist under head coach Kyle Shanahan, which he described as an eye-opening experience. Before that, Kubiak worked for the Denver Broncos and Minnesota Vikings among other teams.

He has a tall task ahead of him: help Derek Carr carry over his late-season success from 2023 into the 2024 campaign. Carr led the league in touchdown passes through the final six weeks and was the game’s highest-rated quarterback inside the red zone. The Saints are betting that Kubiak can help him start hot and maintain that efficiency throughout the upcoming season.

For a lot of Saints fans, this is going to be the first new offense they’ve seen in their lifetimes. New Orleans ran Sean Payton’s system even after he left town a few years back but didn’t find satisfactory results. Kubiak’s coaching background and influences describe a scheme that relies more heavily on motion before and after the snap, but it’s also going to be important for the Saints to do a better job disguising their intentions from the defense. Their offense grew stale and predictable without Payton calling plays or Drew Brees dropping back to pass. Hopefully Kubiak can help get them where they want to go and end a three-year playoffs drought.

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Klint Kubiak reflects on ‘eye-opening experience’ working with Kyle Shanahan

Incoming Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak reflected on what he called an ‘eye-opening experience’ working with 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan:

It’s a brand new day for the New Orleans Saints: Klint Kubiak is expected to be introduced as the team’s new offensive coordinator soon, having agreed to terms with the team after two weeks of negotiations. A former play caller for the Minnesota Vikings (in 2021) and Denver Broncos (briefly, in 2022), he’s spent the last year learning from one of the best as San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan’s pass game specialist.

“Just being here a year, my experience is, Kyle really lets you into his brain in his game plan meetings,” Kubiak told the MMQB’s Albert Breer. While Shanahan has the final say on play calling and game planning, he uses a collaborative process to allow assistants like Kubiak the opportunity to share their input.

Kubiak continued: “He’s thinking out loud in what he’s looking for and what he wants to attack, the players he wants to attack certain coverages with. He’s such a bright coach. Just to be around him, you soak in things that are important to him and things he uses to make decisions. I would say he’s very forthcoming with his assistants, and he also is very challenging with us. He demands a lot out of us and gets the most out of us.”

Shanahan asks a lot of his assistants, which Kubiak says can get intense. But it’s a process that everyone in the room can learn from. And when you’re competing on a team with Super Bowl aspirations, there’s going to be tension. High expectations bring heightened pressure.

“There’s pressure, but what I’ve found is it’s good pressure,” Kubiak added. “You better have a Plan A, a Plan B and a Plan C, and you better know why you’re bringing up what you’re bringing up. It’s all for the right reasons.”

And one of the most critical lessons Kubiak learned from Shanahan: make life easy for y our quarterback. Just like Shanahan made things easy for Brock Purdy to lead an advanced offense, Kubiak understands the importance of putting Derek Carr into a position to succeed, where his quarterback should never feel boxed-in by the defense. There should always be an open receiver, a blocker picking up the blitz, and an opportunity to keep the play alive.

“It’s all for the quarterback to get the most successful play you can give him with the most answers. It’s been a really eye-opening experience, a really positive experience. I’m just lucky to be a part of it.” Kubiak finished.

The Saints are betting big on Kubiak. Head coach Dennis Allen is putting his job on the line with this hire. If Kubiak can sustain the progress Carr found late last season and build on it, while Allen continues to field a tough defense, there’s no reason the team should fall short of the playoffs. But if they can’t reach the postseason after having Allen and general manager Mickey Loomis tell anyone who will listen that this is a team ready for the playoffs (three years in a row), well: bigger changes will be needed in 2025.

And that’s the pressure everyone should be feeling going into the 2024 season. But as Kubiak said, that can be good pressure. This Saints team has underachieved for far too long. They’re holding themselves to higher standards than second- and third-place finishes in the NFL’s worst division. It’s past time they start meeting those expectations. Bringing in an innovative play caller like Kubiak should be the first step in the long journey towards that goal.

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4 burning questions Saints must answer after hiring Klint Kubiak

Klint Kubiak is going to be the Saints’ new offensive coordinator. What are the 4 burning questions they must answer in 2024?

The New Orleans Saints are able to officially hire Klint Kubiak now that the Super Bowl is over. When the news was originally reported, it was received well by the Who Dat Nation. A large amount of the excitement comes from Kubiak’s previous involvement with the San Francisco 49ers and more importantly the Shanahan offensive system.

Excitement alone, however, won’t be enough for New Orleans next season. Now that Kubiak is in New Orleans, what are the biggest questions that need to be answered? Some questions can be answered immediately while others may not be answered until the season.

Saints have a deal with Klint Kubiak to become their new offensive coordinator

NFL Network reports the Saints have a deal with Klint Kubiak to become their new offensive coordinator. All is left now is to put pens to paper:

There we go. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that the New Orleans Saints have a deal with Klint Kubiak to become their new offensive coordinator. All that’s left now is to put pens to paper and formalize the arrangement. Look for the Saints to make an official announcement on Kubiak’s hire in the days ahead.

Kubiak, who turns 37 this week, already brings a lot of NFL experience. He’s worked in the league since 2013 and has called plays for both the Minnesota Vikings (during the 2021 season as their offensive coordinator) and the Denver Broncos (late in the 2022 season after Nathaniel Hackett gave up the responsibility). He most recently worked with the San Francisco 49ers as their passing game specialist under head coach Kyle Shanahan.

And Kubiak is bringing new assistants with him — the Saints are going to experience heavy turnover on the offensive side of the ball with new coaches working with the quarterbacks, offensive line, wide receivers, and running backs. It’s going to be a new system for the first time in some fans’ lifetimes. And given the team’s poor performance in recent years, this change was needed.

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Jaguars reportedly a ‘team to watch’ for free agent DE Danielle Hunter

The Jaguars were reportedly close to trading for Danielle Hunter in 2023. So it’s not too surprising that they’re connected to him again.

The Jacksonville Jaguars were rumored to be interested in trading for Minnesota Vikings pass rusher Danielle Hunter before the 2023 season, and then again at the trade deadline. Now, once again the Jaguars are being linked to Hunter.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Hunter “will be hard for the Vikings to keep” with his contract set to expire next month. And the Jaguars are one of two teams that Fowler highlighted as potentially interested parties:

“Chicago could look to add a pass-rusher to complement Montez Sweat in free agency and is very high on Hunter. The Jacksonville Jaguars are another team to watch, though they have to figure out Josh Allen’s future.”

Given the amount of smoke surrounding Hunter joining the Jaguars in 2023, it’s not especially surprising that Jacksonville is being connected with the pass rusher in 2024. It does seem a less likely scenario now, though.

It made sense for the Jaguars to pick up the expiring contract of a star player as part of a push to win Super Bowl LXIII. After all, expectations were pretty high for Jacksonville during the 2023 offseason and they were still lofty when the Jaguars were 6-2 at the midseason trade deadline.

But now the team is working to find a way to keep both Josh Allen and Calvin Ridley while also addressing a list of needs that proved to be fatal flaws at the end of the 2023 season. Pass rushing depth is certainly an issue for the Jaguars, but is the team ready to commit another $20 million per year or so to add Hunter to a line that already has a pair of starting edge rushers in Allen and Travon Walker?

It’s never a bad idea to accrue pass rushers, especially after the Jaguars finished 25th in sacks. Opening the pocketbooks for one of the top free agents at the position doesn’t seem to make as much sense, though.

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Saints expected to finalize hires of Klint Kubiak, several assistants after Super Bowl LVIII

NFL Network reports what we’ve been expecting: the Saints plan to finalize their hires of Klint Kubiak and several assistant coaches after Super Bowl LVIII:

Here’s more support for what we’ve been expecting: NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that the New Orleans Saints plan to formalize their hire of Klint Kubiak and introduce him as their new offensive coordinator after Super Bowl LVIII, an expectation which has already been reported. Kubiak is the San Francisco 49ers pass game specialist and has previously called plays for the Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos. Out goes Pete Carmichael and in steps Klint Kubiak.

That’s not all. Pelissero confirms that two coaches are expected to join Kubiak’s staff after previously being targeted by the Saints. John Benton only worked with Kubiak briefly while coaching the Houston Texans offensive line under Gary Kubiak, his father, but he brings a wealth of experience after spending decades in the NFL, and he’s expected to replace Doug Marrone as the Saints’ offensive line coach.

Additionally, and as previously reported, ex-Chicago Bears quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko is expected to join the Saints in the same capacity. He held that position under Kubiak on the Vikings back in 2021 and will be replacing Ronald Curry.

While Kubiak is retaining Saints tight ends coach Clancy Barone (who he has worked with before) and a few assistant coaches, it’s going to be an entirely new offensive system for New Orleans derived from the Shanahan-Kubiak coaching tree. It’s unclear who will take over as the Saints’ new wide receivers and running backs coaches (and who else may be in the mix for other positions), so stay tuned.

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Report: Saints expected to hire Andrew Janocko as their new QB coach

ESPN reports the Saints are expected to hire Andrew Janocko as their new quarterbacks coach. He previously coached Kirk Cousins and Justin Fields:

This is an interesting move. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that the New Orleans Saints are expected to hire Andrew Janocko as their new quarterbacks coach on Klint Kubiak’s staff, replacing Ronald Curry.

Janocko and Kubiak have worked together before, and in these same roles. Janocko was Kubiak’s quarterbacks coach when he was calling plays as the Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator back in 2021. Before that, he worked in a variety of roles in Minnesota, at one point being named co-offensive line coach with Clancy Barone (the current Saints tight ends coach).

Most recently, though Janocko was coaching Justin Fields for the Chicago Bears. But the young quarterback struggled to make much progress under his tutelage and Janocko was let go along with many other assistants after the 2023 season. The Saints are betting that his established chemistry with other coaches on their staff and the opportunity to work with an experienced quarterback will lead to success. Let’s see if they’re right.

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