A potential home run hire.
The New Orleans Saints have requested interviews with many head coach candidates so far, but to me, one stands above the rest. Aaron Glenn is one of the top candidates in the NFL for several head coaching spots. The Jets, Bears, Raiders, and Saints have all requested an interview with Glenn, and I would not be surprised to see the Jags follow suit in the coming days. The NFL respects Glenn, and that’s evident from the massive amount of interest around the league, but what makes him a top candidate?
When Aaron Glenn took over as Lions defensive coordinator in 2021, the defense was in a bad spot. The secondary was one of the worst in the league, the run defense was horrible, and the overall talent was lacking. In the 2021/2022 season, the Lions finished 3-13-1, and many of the same defensive issues were present, but that was mainly due to how bad of a spot the roster was in. Also, it was Dan Campbell’s first year as HC and Aaron Glenn’s first year as a DC. After this season, Aaron Glenn improved as a defensive play-caller, and it was evident that the Lions would see success in 2022. The run defense was much better, the pass defense was holding its own even with little improvements at cornerback, and the pass rush became a strength of the team. The Lions have never looked back, and Aaron Glenn continues to improve year after year.
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Looking at the Lions coordinators, Ben Johnson is usually the focus of many organizations due to Detroit’s spectacular offense. However, that should not diminish what Aaron Glenn is doing on defense. Detroit’s roster has been hit by injuries all season, with the most significant loss occurring in week 6, with star edge rusher Aiden Hutchinson breaking his leg and landing on injured reserve. To any other team, these injuries would have massive impacts on a season and destroy game plans. Well, the Lions defense stayed one of the best in the NFL, and that was because of Aaron Glenn.
It’s hard to compare an offensive coordinator and a defensive coordinator, but Aaron Glenn is the defensive version of Ben Johnson. While Johnson’s play calling and insane fake plays with linemen trend on social media, Glenn’s play calling is equally impressive. He utilizes a fluid game plan that matches whatever the opposing offense attempts to do. When people say football can be a chess match, this is what they mean.
When Aaron Glenn is coaching his defense, tackling is not an issue, man coverage is heavily utilized, and blitzes are used extremely tactically. Linebackers and safeties are vital to the defense’s success, and Glenn will move them all over the field. The pass rush also looks a bit different from other teams. Some coaches will have their defensive line go out there and try to just win their matchups. Glenn will instead put the Lions defensive line in better situations to get to the quarterback. For example, when the ball is snapped, the defensive tackle will slowly move to the outside and attach to the offensive tackle, while the edge rusher will break to the inside and face the guard. This will either create an easier one-on-one matchup for the edge rusher against the guard or open up enough space for the edge rusher to get to the QB. This is just one example of how Glenn gets the best out of his players and puts them in advantageous situations. He is an excellent defensive coordinator, but people still have reservations, particularly regarding the Saints.
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People make two main arguments against the Saints hiring Aaron Glenn: He was a coach under Sean Payton in New Orleans, and Glenn is just another Dennis Allen.
Many people, including myself, would like the Saints to go in a new direction regarding the next coach, which means no connections to previous Saints regimes. Glenn was a defensive backs coach under Sean Payton from 2016 to 2020, so in theory, that should rule him out, but there is a different way to look at this. Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson leaving the Lions for head coach jobs marks the start of the Dan Campbell coaching tree. Campbell sits with his coordinators throughout the season and teaches them ways to improve. This aims to set up Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson for success when they become head coaches themselves. Glenn has improved to the point it should separate his time with the Lions from his time with the Saints.
The second argument, which is Aaron Glenn is just another Dennis Allen, is an understandable worry due to how the last regime ended, but it is far from the truth. Allen was a top defensive mind in the NFL but lacked leadership capabilities and struggled to be in that head coach role. Glenn is already touted as a real leader in the locker room. He motivates his players no matter the situation and is a voice that people listen to. This is an essential trait that Dennis Allen lacked as head coach. Yes, a coach needs to be good at the X’s and O’s, but they also need to be a leader, and Aaron Glenn can bring both.
The Saints are expected to interview Aaron Glenn this week.
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