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New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton took in the numerous sights and sounds of Super Bowl 2013 after attending a handful of parties and the game itself in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Sunday. Now that the Super Bowl spotlight has been dimmed, it's time for Payton to work in earnest on filling his staff with five assistant coaching openings to fill with defensive coordinator being at the top of the list.


New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton should move forward is his search to hire a defensive coordinator and several other assistant coaches this week.

Payton said last week the search for filling his five spots - defensive coordinator, secondary coach, offensive line coach, assistant defensive line coach, assistant special teams coach - would speed up this week as his staff will undertake one its most significant staff turnovers since he compiled his original staff in New Orleans in 2006.

It wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility to have Payton fill at least some of these positions by the end of this week. It also probably isn't coincidence how Payton's decision to take a slower look at filling the defensive coordinator job coincided with the pool of candidates who would run a 3-4 defensive scheme opening up with the completion of Super Bowl XLVII.

This will be Payton's fourth time he's hiring a defensive coordinator during his Saints tenure. While many new coaching staffs have been completed, New Orleans and Philadelphia could easily be sifting through the same candidate pool as both have defensive coordinator vacancies.

Ravens General Manager Ozzie Newsome told the Philadelphia Inquirer after Super Bowl XLVII that he wouldn't block Ravens linebackers coach Ted Monachino from talking to the Eagles about their defensive coordinator job. Monachino received glowing praise from Ravens defensive coordinator Dean Pees saying Monachino is ready to become a defensive coordinator.

San Francisco secondary coach Ed Donatell and defensive line coach Jim Tomsula told NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune last week they both hope to become defensive coordinators. Donatell said he would listen to any situation presented to him, but it's uncertain if the Niners would allow him to talk to other teams, even for a promotion.

"It boils down to the players (to run a 3-4)," Tomsula said last week. "It does. Obviously, the Saints are talented. That's a talented team. They've got some good players. They're going to bounce back. You've got Sean Payton, and the rest of the staff, Joe Vitt. That thing is going to be fine."

Others like former Browns and Chiefs Coach Romeo Crennel and former Jets Coach Eric Mangini have also been mentioned in reports as possible candidates since the firing of Steve Spagnuolo nearly two weeks ago. Browns linebackers coach Billy Davis has also been a name recommended to the Saints, a source said.

A secondary coach likely wouldn't be hired until Payton decides on a defensive coordinator, though.

Whoever the Saints hire as offensive line coach will have some pretty big shoes to fill with Bills Coach Doug Marrone and Bears offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer being the last two men to hold that position.

"Those are tough losses," Payton said. "Mr. (Tom) Benson the other day, I think it was back when we had just agreed on a contract, we were at the Hornets game and after the game he and I were visiting and we were mentioning there was going to be some more interest in our coaches. ... I assured him that's a good thing. That when no one was calling about any of your coaches is when you need to worry.

"So I'm proud and excited for Doug Marrone, who's now the head coach of the Buffalo Bills. Certainly excited for Dennis Allen, Curtis Johnson and I want to see all of these guys have success. Aaron Kromer having the opportunity to be the offensive coordinator for the Bears now and the offensive line. It just goes on and on. Pete Carmichael has been offered and interviewed for a number of jobs and has stayed. Joe Lombardi, Mike Mallory ... those are good signs that you're looking at the right people.

"I think being in this thing for a short period of time as a head coach, I like the fact that you can see guys, some on our originally Katrina staff - Dennis Allen and Doug Marrone - there were a lot of sacrifices in that first year that are hard to explain with families that were coming in when most everyone was leaving. There's an appreciation that I have for those sacrifices and see them have the success that they're having and opportunities they get is pleasing."

Vitt, offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael, special teams coach Greg McMahon, tight ends coach Terry Malone and strength and conditioning coach Dan Dalrymple are the only coaches left from the 2006 staff.

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QBREES9

Change is good.

K Major

Amen to that brother.

Halo

Tomsula.... and change is good.
Best part is, both superbowl d-coordinators were in NOLA to interview