The New Orleans Saints are dismissing veteran offensive line coach Doug Marrone, as first reported by NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill. The Times-Picayune | Advocate’s Luke Johnson confirmed Marrone’s departure.
Marrone was the first assistant Dennis Allen hired in 2022; his arrival was talked up as a former two-time NFL head coach who first came to New Orleans with Sean Payton back in 2006. While Marrone’s influence was positive for right guard Cesar Ruiz’s development, left tackle Trevor Penning did not make enough improvement through his first two years and the New Orleans offensive line as a whole deteriorated.
Change was needed. We’ll see whether Marrone’s assistant coaches Jahri Evans and Kevin Carberry are retained moving forward.
So this means that incoming offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak hire his own help. In addition to hiring a new offensive line coach, the Saints must hire position coaches to work with the running backs and wide receivers after Joel Thomas left for a new job and Kodi Burns was let go. It remains to be seen whether quarterbacks coach Ronald Curry and tight ends coach Clancy Barone figure into Kubiak’s plans, but it’s worth noting Barone worked with him on the Denver Broncos in 2022.
Who could Kubiak bring in to take Marrone’s place? One name to watch is San Francisco 49ers assistant offensive line coach James Cregg, who previously worked at LSU. Another one is Rick Dennison, the former Minnesota Vikings offensive line coach who worked with Kubiak earlier in his career.
