The poaching might not yet be done as Sean Payton builds his new staff out in Denver, even after Zach Strief was reportedly pried away from the Saints earlier this week.
Three more Saints assistants are also on Payton's radar, including Declan Doyle, according to a report from CBS Sports' Josina Anderson, along with Kevin Petry and QBs coach Ronald Curry, according to reports from Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com.
An offer has been made to Petry, according to the report. The Covington native and LSU alum is entering his 6th year as a member Saints' staff for the past 6 seasons and was hired by Payton. He's also listed as an assistant to the head coach in his current role, which he's held since 2021. It's unclear what role Petry would have on the Broncos staff if accepted.
Doyle's role would be as tight ends coach, a position he got a run at coaching this past week at the 2023 Senior Bowl. Doyle has been a member of the Saints' staff since 2019, and spoke glowingly about his former boss during the event.
“[Working for Payton is] like getting a PHD in football. I have a middle brother who went to Harvard. It’s like going to Harvard for football. I got exposed to the highest level of scheme, the highest level of coaching, detail," Doyle said. "Obviously he comes from the Parcells tree and all that. But it’s like being around a savant, being around somebody that not only is really intelligent, but he’s a great teacher and he cares about people and all that. It changed my life, is what it did.”
The final name is the biggest in Curry, who last season served as the QBs coach and the pass game coordinator. He has already interviewed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for their offensive coordinator vacancy and will interview for the OC role on Payton's staff. Curry is another coach with a role at the Senior Bowl, serving as one of the game's offensive coordinators, but said he wasn't there to seek a new job and is committed to the Saints.
The Saints can block lateral moves, per NFL rules, but that is not allowed when it comes to clear promotions. That was the case for Strief as he would be elevated from assistant OL coach to the full OL coach in Denver. Doyle would also be in line for a promotion from an offensive assistant to a full position coach.
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The Saints traded Payton to the Broncos less than a week ago and got back a first-round pick in the upcoming draft while swapping their 2024 third rounder for the Broncos' 2024 second-rounder. The decision has come with clear ramifications as it pertains to the Saints' staffing, and there are still several openings that could result in more New Orleans coaches targeted. The team has already moved on from its previous tight ends coach and run-game coordinator in Dan Roushar and there has been no one hired into that role. It's possible the Saints make a push to retain Doyle in that role, if he prefers to stay with the Saints organization on Dennis Allen's staff.
Both co-defensive coordinators have departed in Ryan Nielsen and Kris Richard. Nielsen was introduced as the Falcons' new defensive coordinator this week, while Richard's next landing spot is still unclear with he and the team parting ways last week. The Saints appear to have landed on their new defensive coordinator in former Browns DC Joe Woods, and have hired longtime NFL and SEC assistant Todd Grantham in a defensive assistant role.
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