Saints pivot to 2 star HC candidates after losing Liam Coen, per Insider

The New Orleans Saints have pivoted their head coaching search to focus on two star free agent candidates.

After Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen reportedly accepted the Jacksonville Jaguars head coaching job, the Saints have been forced to look elsewhere. According to NFL insider Benjamin Allbright, New Orleans is eyeing former Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy and Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady.

McCarthy has spent the past several years with the Dallas Cowboys, with whom he led to playoff appearances in three of his five seasons. However, McCarthy couldn't get Dallas past a divisional round game throughout his tenure, and after failing to make the playoffs this past season, the Cowboys opted not to re-sign the former Super Bowl-winning head coach.

Brady has served as the offensive coordinator for the Bills full-time this past season, as Buffalo heads into an AFC Championship appearance against the Kansas City Chiefs this weekend. After the departure of star receiver Stefon Diggs, Brady helped balance the Buffalo offensive attack, leading to an MVP-caliber season from quarterback Josh Allen.

The success has garnered the attention of teams across the league in need of a new head coach. As of this writing, only the Saints and Cowboys are the sole teams without head coaches for the time being.

Saints Looking To Return To Former Glory

Whoever decides to occupy the vacancy in New Orleans is coming into a somewhat favorable situation. There are certainly pieces on the offensive side of the ball for a new coach to work with as veteran quarterback Derek Carr leads the team with star running back Alvin Kamara, and the young, dynamic wide receiver Chris Olave.

NFL: New Orleans Saints at New York Giants - Source: Imagn

Last season, the Saints fired head coach Dennis Allen in November after suffering their seventh straight loss after beginning the season 2-0. He was replaced by interim head coach and special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi. New Orleans finished the season 5-12 and finished last in the NFC South. They weren't too far behind their adversaries in the South, as the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons both also ended their seasons with losing records.

NFC South division winners the Tampa Bay Buccaneers finished the season with a 10-7 record. New Orleans is hoping to return to the top of the division they once routinely dominated during the days of Drew Brees. However, they'll need to find the right man to lead the charge before anything else. Perhaps McCarthy or Brady could be exactly what they need.