Dennis Allen has officially been relieved of his duties as the head coach of the New Orleans Saints. 

Locker room frustration, on-field performances, and a lack of ability to adjust are the biggest factors that helped Allen out the door in New Orleans. Now, what is next for the Saints? 

They have named Darren Rizzi as their interim head coach, but a coaching search will commence this offseason. The Saints won't rush it, but here are some names you'll probably hear about in the coming months. 

5 potential HC candidates for the Saints

Aaron Glenn, defensive coordinator, Detroit Lions

Glenn is quite familiar with the Saints organization. Before joining Dan Campbell in Detroit, Glenn was a secondary coach for New Orleans. Players loved him and appreciated all the work he did. Not to mention, he played for the Saints during his days on the field. 

Those feelings probably helped Glenn land the DC job alongside Campbell, another former Saints coach. Without premium talent in Detroit, he is orchestrating a gritty defensive unit that forces turnovers and makes important plays on third down. Bringing him back will be on the table for the Saints, undoubtedly.

Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator, Detroit Lions

Johnson will be the hottest name on the market this offseason, in all likelihood. He got plenty of interest last offseason but never found the fit he was looking for in a new team. 

He chose to stick with Detroit, and they have one of the top offenses in football once again. It would be a tough sell to pull him from the Lions to the Saints, but they will probably give it a try, at the least. At only 38 years old, whoever lands Johnson will be getting a bright, young offensive mind to lead their team. 

Joe Brady, offensive coordinator, Buffalo Bills

This may be a bit early for the young offensive play-caller, but the murmurs are there already and won't cease this offseason. Brady is best known for calling the offense for the LSU Tigers in 2019, a historic run and arguably the best CFB offense ever. 

Now, he is the leader of Josh Allen's unit that has been rolling all season long. He's another young candidate and comes with risk, but the potential reward could be enticing for teams, including New Orleans. 

Brian Flores, defensive coordinator, Minnesota Vikings

Flores has head coaching experience after his time with the Miami Dolphins. This season, he is coaching one of the best defensive units in the NFL in Minnesota, with a unique scheme that mimics some of what New Orleans has found success with in recent years. 

Flores created chaos for opposing offenses. His dynamic defensive mind and fiery spirit will make him a popular candidate for many teams this offseason. You could argue he's the best fit to become the next HC in New Orleans. 

Mike Vrabel, former Tennessee Titans head coach

Vrabel has spent some of this season as an analyst with the Cleveland Browns after not landing a HC job this past offseason. The Titans moved on from him due to a multitude of reasons, but he was a successful coach in terms of expectations in Tennessee during his time there. 

Vrabel is a fiery leader that is not afraid to show emotion. We will see if New Orleans shows some interest in a coach who has proven that he can win in the NFL as a team's leader.

Saints make a franchise-changing move that everyone could see from a mile away after loss to Panthers

Had to do it.