Gayle Benson singled out longtime general manager Mickey Loomis in her public criticism of the New Orleans Saints' performance, but that doesn't mean she would really fire him, right? Loomis is the longest-tenured executive in the league (if you don't count owners at the controls like Jerry Jones) and Benson has gone on the record as calling his hiring one of the best things to ever happen to the franchise. But he's guided the Saints to a 56-81 record when Sean Payton wasn't coaching his team. If the end is in sight for Kellen Moore after just a year and a half on the job, Loomis will be 1-for-3 on hiring head coaches. A new coach should get a fresh start with a new general manager.
Whether Loomis is dismissed, pushed into retirement, or "promoted"
to a position without any control of the roster, replacing him should be on the table. But which candidates could replace him? Here are ten names to know.
Chad Alexander
Alexander spent decades working under legendary Baltimore Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome, and he's found success as the Los Angeles Chargers assistant GM in recent years. He's an experienced scout and helped build two Super Bowl-winning teams before leaving for a promotion; Alexander ran the New York Jets player personnel department from 2019 to 2023 when they hit big on first-round draft picks like Garrett Wilson and Sauce Gardner. But he "respectfully declined" to interview for the Minnesota Vikings GM opening this offseason in order to see things through with L.A. Their 0-5 start may lead to organizational turnover, and if he's open to a move to lead his own team, the Saints should give him a look.
Jeff Ireland
Ireland feels like the early favorite if the Saints go with an in-house promotion; he's worked as a general manager before, learning some painful lessons with the Miami Dolphins on the way to a 46-50 finish. He has flourished while running the Saints' college scouting department since 2015 and has influence in the front office as the team's assistant general manager. Ireland has interviewed for several GM openings around the league over the years but remains with New Orleans. It's tough to see him staying if the Saints pass over him.
Khai Harley
The other popular pick for a promotion? That's Harley, the team's senior vice president of football operations and assistant general manager. He's one of the two lieutenants to Loomis, along with Ireland, and is best known for his work managing the salary cap. Harley also has experience negotiating contracts, managing the roster, and coordinating with both the pro and college scouting departments. He's been a key asset in the front office for a very long time. Harley has been with the team for 18 years and would be a familiar voice to Benson.
Michael Parenton
Here's a dark horse to watch if the Saints stay focused on in-house candidates. Parenton, the vice president of pro personnel, is chiefly responsible for scouting free agents, trade targets, waiver claims and every other avenue of adding talent. He's also responsible for advance scouting reports of upcoming opponents. Parenton has worked for the Saints since 2012 and does a lot to bridge the gap between the front office and the coaching staff. Don't overlook the Tulane grad from Thibodaux.
Terry Fontenot
Fontenot got his start in the Saints' organization, and at one point looked like the heir-apparent if Loomis ever chose to step down. Instead, the Lake Charles native and Tulane graduate who started working for New Orleans as a scout in 2003 went turncoat with the Atlanta Falcons. He drafted well but couldn't find a coach or steady quarterback, and was dismissed after going 36-48. Maybe a homecoming (and lessons learned from that experience) could be good for him.
Other names to know
- Cody Rager. Sean Payton made sure to bring Rager with him to the Denver Broncos as vice president of player personnel; before that, he worked for the Saints since 2015 and climbed the ladder to become Ireland's right-hand man. He's an experienced talent evaluator who the organization knows well.
- Louis Riddick. The longtime ESPN commentator hasn't worked in an NFL front office since 2013, but he does have ambitions of running his own team someday. Riddick has interviewed for multiple general manager openings in recent years and could have some appeal with an outside perspective.
- John McKay. We're continuing the theme of outside candidates. The Los Angeles Rams assistant general manager has done good work just across town from Alexander and the Chargers, having worked under Les Snead for 10 years. He's led the Rams' pro scouting department and has received interview requests from teams like the Vikings.
- RJ Gillen. A 12-year member of the San Francisco 49ers front office, Gillen was recently promoted to assistant GM and appears to be a rising star in the organization. He runs the player personnel department and manages day-to-day operations while advising John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan on roster construction. He has a broad range of experiences and could be well-suited to an executive role. Gillen also played college football at LSU from 2007 to 2010.
- Drew Brees. Plenty of Saints fans have pointed to what Matt Ryan does with the Atlanta Falcons (he's a full-time employee titled "President of Football" handling communication between ownership, the front office, and the coaching staff) and said Brees should take the same path. You just have to wonder how committed he is to calling games for FOX after spending years trying to break into broadcasting. Brees could have taken an easier path to coach or work in football operations, but he seems to have a real passion for his current role. Even if he was open to it, the Saints would need someone to work as a GM.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 10 general manager candidates if the Saints move on from Mickey Loomis
