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    How good is the vacancy after Dennis Allen's dismissal?
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    How good is the vacancy after Dennis Allen's dismissal?

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    One way to lose the coveted NFL coaching job? Fall to the lowly Carolina Panthers two months after squeezing the brakes 47-10 in a hopeful opener.

    That's what happened to now-former New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen, who was fired on Monday morning – less than a full day after a 23-22 loss in Charlotte that brought the Saints' losing streak to seven… and a second as a result :0 start in which they outscored their opponents, the Panthers and Dallas Cowboys, 91-29. For Allen, he has now lost both NFL head jobs midway through his third year, his most recent firing coming 10 years after the Oakland Raiders fired him following an 0-4 start to the 2014 season. Allen, who was formerly their defensive coordinator, was in his 15th season with the Saints and ends his tenure as HC with an 18-25 record. He is 26-53 overall and has never led a team to the postseason. Owner Gayle Benson praised his loyalty and professionalism but pushed for the change anyway.

    But like his situation in the East Bay a decade ago, Allen is leaving a post that comes with serious challenges. So let's explore how tempting the Saints' job is:

    Quarterback situation

    Since coming to the Big Easy last year, Derek Carr has been more or less what he was with the Raiders – solid, good, stable… unspectacular. He has posted an 11-12 record in his 23 starts with the Saints, throwing for 34 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while posting a QB rating of 98.0, more than six points better than his grade with the Silver and Black. However, he averaged just under 222 yards through the air in New Orleans, 26.1 fewer than with the Raiders.

    That's a decent job, especially considering the protection issues Carr has had and a steady rate of injuries to his receiver corps. It's also not exactly what New Orleans was hoping for after signing a four-year, $150 million contract last year – the franchise is trying to re-establish itself as an NFC South power after losing momentum following the retirement of Drew Brees was down around .500 following the 2020 season. Still, it's the status quo at Carr, the club is in a rut and has almost no chance of qualifying for its first playoff game since Brees and Co. were ousted in the final game four years ago by Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers en route to their Super Bowl 55 victory and subsequent dominance of the entire division.

    Youngsters Spencer Rattler (24) and Jake Haener (25) have largely struggled in recent weeks after getting opportunities to play, while Carr missed three starts with an oblique injury. Rattler's potential dates back to his high school years and his sometimes promising stints at the University of Oklahoma and the University of South Carolina. The rookie was the first quarterback drafted outside of the first round (Round 5) this year and wasn't necessarily able to play at full potential given the Saints' numerous injury problems.

    Still, with a 2-7 record, New Orleans is on track to be a top-five pick in next year's draft. Cutting Carr in 2025 would mean a dead cap hit of $50 million, but would save the Saints from having to pay his base salary, which would go from $1.2 million in 2024 to $30 million in next year and $50 million in 2026. The coach, especially an offensive-minded coach, would probably prefer to set a course that doesn't involve Carr in one probably bridging or obviously temporary role.

    Roster

    There are many well-known brands here – including LB Demario Davis, DE Cam Jordan, RB Alvin Kamara, CB Marshon Lattimore and DB Tyrann Mathieu. But aside from Kamara, who just signed a two-year contract extension, they're all pretty much on the decline. GM Mickey Loomis acknowledged in a statement Monday morning that Allen also fell victim to an “avalanche of injuries.”

    The future foundation will likely consist of relatively young players such as DT Bryan Bresee, LT Taliese Fuaga, DE Carl Granderson, C Erik McCoy, CB Kool-Aid McKinstry, WR Chris Olave, G Cesar Ruiz, WR Rashid Shaheed, DB Alontae Taylor and others LB Pete Werner. It doesn't exactly seem like an up-and-coming powerhouse, but it's far from an empty cupboard either.

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    Salary cap

    No team racks up as much credit card debt as this NFL version, and that could be an important consideration for anyone deciding to work with Loomis, now in his 23rd season with the small-market franchise and currently the NFL's longest-serving general is a manager. Under Loomis, the Saints typically distribute contract cap space by adding void years to players' contracts. According to Over The Cap, New Orleans is currently overspending by more than $60 million in 2025, and that's before the potential damage that would come from Carr's departure occurs. Typically the team makes a series of significant restructures and/or layoffs each March to stay within cap space, but that may handcuff the Saints once free agency begins in earnest. DE Chase Young, who signed a one-year, $13 million contract, was the only significant addition earlier this year. And given current trends, New Orleans likely won't be a popular destination for veterans in 2025 either.

    Draft 2025

    The Saints are currently one of nine teams with two wins, meaning they have a good chance of getting the No. 1 overall pick next year and are an early pick in each of the first five rounds – assuming they own it Continue all your winning choices in these slots. They should get a nice group of players, even if it doesn't currently look like this draft will have a bumper crop of quarterbacks.

    outlook

    When it comes to one of 32 jobs, aspiring coaching candidates at the Saints are unlikely to turn up their noses. There's enough to like here, and (currently) a sufficiently stable front office and ownership situation that Allen's successor – he was promoted in 2022 after the surprise and delayed “retirement” of predecessor Sean Payton – should get a decent runway, um to flourish. Any coach considering his next job may want the assurance of a longer-term commitment between the team and the city. But few fans are as passionate as those of New Orleans, and the civic bond with the organization was only strengthened by Hurricane Katrina. This may not be the best job opening in 2025, but it's unlikely to be the worst either.

    ***

    Follow USA TODAY Sports' Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter, @ByNateDavis.

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