3 dream Dennis Allen replacements who could save the Saints in 2025

New Orleans Saints Head coach Dennis Allen isn’t just stressed, his butt is on fire. The Saints have lost seven games in a row since losing to the lowly Carolina Panthers, making Bryce Young look like a competent NFL quarterback.

Allen took over for Sean Payton a few years ago and things didn’t go as planned. Very few successors can rival the era of greatness Payton has left behind her. Fans in the Bayou are accustomed to wearing bags on their heads. Together with Payton and Drew Brees, they won a Super Bowl and appeared regularly in the postseason. They really changed everything.

However, thanks to Allen and decisions made by general manager Mickey Loomis, the Saints are back where they started. Ironically, the fastest route to relevance is next Tuesday! Yes, we all need to vote in the upcoming election, but Tuesday is also the NFL trade deadline. New Orleans has a lot of assets they can send to contending teams, especially considering they aren’t one of those teams. In turn, the Saints can stash their draft cupboard and (perhaps) ease the rebuilding process.

But who should lead this reconstruction?

Allen will likely be fired in the coming weeks or after the season, depending on how much Loomis and the Saints respect him as a person. It sounds mean, but New Orleans has shown virtually no improvement over the past few years under Allen. Honestly, it was a miracle he survived last season. Just last week Allen admitted that his job status is inconsistent.

“We talk every day, you know what I mean? So I don’t feel the need to have those conversations anymore,” Allen said. “Look, I think we all understand that this is a results-driven business. And we need to play better football.”

If New Orleans is going to fire Allen, they should be looking to replace him. Given the talent already on the roster, they should have players like Bill Belichick available to them if they don’t mind giving him full control. That’s the thing with Bill – he’s been so successful that he won’t settle for anything less, and he’s not going to let anyone else make his decisions.

The Falcons waived Belichick last offseason. What better way to get revenge than to lead your rival?

As much as Derek Carr has been involved in all of the Saints’ offensive woes, he can hardly be blamed for their current seven-game losing streak since he was injured for most of it. If New Orleans decides to start over, which I definitely recommend they do, they will need to find a young quarterback to become the new face of the franchise once Carr leaves. And here Slovik comes to the rescue.

In Houston, Slovik found immediate success with a rookie QB in C.J. Stroud. This season, Stroud and Slowik picked up where they left off with one of the best offenses in the NFL. Slovik was awarded a contract extension this offseason and is working under the defensive head coach of the DeMeco Ryans. This means he has complete control over the crime.

Last offseason, Slovik interviewed with Atlanta, Carolina, Seattle, Tennessee and Washington, but was considered too raw. Another year of coaching under his belt – and another top-quality offensive attack with a young QB – should be all the Saints need to make a move.

Ben Jonson was close to take over as the Commanders’ head coach last offseason, a decision he may already be questioning given the early success of rookie QB Jayden Daniels. Johnson could lead this attack. Instead, he’s in Detroit, following in the footsteps of Dan Campbell. But don’t get it twisted: Johnson will likely receive head coaching offers this offseason, and if he ends up in Detroit this time, he can choose his next destination.

Johnson (like Slowik) is one of the best young offensive minds in the NFL. Campbell may be a former tight end, but make no mistake: Johnson can do whatever he wants with the offense. Jared Goff thrived in Johnson’s system and even earned a new contract as one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL.

The reason Johnson should be prioritized in New Orleans over, say, Slowik is because he can thrive despite his quarterback. Of course, the Saints would be wise to move on from Carr, but if they choose to wait out his contract, perhaps a year under Johnson would benefit the 33-year-old. Heck, they said the same thing about Goff not too long ago.

There’s a reason Johnson is the best head coaching candidate on the market. The Saints will not be alone in their interests.