This could be a big loss: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that the New England Patriots have scheduled an interview with Michael Hodges, the New Orleans Saints linebackers coach, while seeking to hire a defensive coordinator on head coach Jerod Mayo’s staff.
Hodges has been an important part of Dennis Allen’s staff in recent years. He’s been responsible for scouting and developing draft picks like D’Marco Jackson (2022), Pete Werner (2021), Zack Baun (2020), and Kaden Elliss (2019) as well as undrafted linebackers like Nephi Sewell and Andrew Dowell. He’s also played a big part in helping Demario Davis perform at a high level late in his career.
So it’s easy to see why other teams are coveting him. We’ll see if Hodges ultimately leaves New Orleans, but the Saints have a history of cultivating talented coaches on the defensive side of the ball — former Dennis Allen assistants Aaron Glenn and Ryan Nielsen have both moved on to run their own defenses as coordinators, and Glenn has drawn a number of head coach interviews around the league. Hodges might be the next man up.
