Saints coaching staff continues to get gutted
The New Orleans Saints' coaching staff has taken some losses during this off-season. First, defensive line coach and co-defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen left to join the Atlanta Falcons. Then, the Saints agreed to part ways with their other co-defensive coordinator in Kris Richard. There's speculation he will land a full-time DC job elsewhere, and he […]
The New Orleans Saints' coaching staff has taken some losses during this off-season.
First, defensive line coach and co-defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen left to join the Atlanta Falcons. Then, the Saints agreed to part ways with their other co-defensive coordinator in Kris Richard. There's speculation he will land a full-time DC job elsewhere, and he deserves that.
Now, another assistant is out the door.
Assistant offensive line coach and former Saints offensive lineman Zach Strief is now headed to Denver to join Sean Payton.
This shouldn't really shock anyone. Strief and Payton have always maintained a very close relationship. Strief was drafted in Payton's first season with the Saints.
Payton has watched him grow as a football mind and knows that he has a bright future in the NFL. Strief is just 39, so he is still quite young in the coaching ranks.
That being said, he's elevated his career rather quickly. Strife played for the Saints from 2006 to 2017, but he was a coach for just 2021-2022 in New Orleans. Now, he's got an impressive position coach role with the Broncos.
It leaves another important hole for Dennis Allen and the Saints front office to fill during this off-season.
The pressure for them to make the correct hires continues to build.
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