The New Orleans Saints are set to name Andrew Janocko as their next quarterbacks coach.
That wasn’t the name everybody expected. Following Ronald Curry’s move to the Buffalo Bills, the New Orleans Saints now have vacancies as quarterback coach and passing game coordinator. According to rumors, they have already identified a target for one of these positions.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Saints are poised to employ former Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko to fill the same post in New Orleans. Janocko has previously worked with Klint Kubiak, who will soon be named Offensive Coordinator. In 2021, the two worked in the same position for the Vikings.
That season, quarterback Kirk Cousins completed 66.3% of his throws for 4,221 yards. He also had a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 33-7. Cousins and Saints quarterback Derek Carr have comparable passing approaches, albeit Carr is more athletic and attempts to process the field faster.
The most impressive aspect of Kubiak and Janocko’s work with Cousins was the high volume of passes (561), compared to the low interception (7) and touchdown total (33). While Cousins completed the fourth-most throws of his career that season, he also made the second-fewest interceptions in a season in which he started at least 15 games. He also had his lowest career interception percentage and second-best full-season touchdown percentage.
The foundational principles to success for any offense are ball control and scoring points. Translating the success they experienced with Cousins in those areas to the work they intend to do with Carr would be a gain.
Ronald Curry’s departure to the Buffalo Bills left the Saints’ quarterbacks coach post vacant. The function of passing game coordinator was also affected by this procedure. It will be fascinating to know if the Saints plan to keep that post for their 2024 staff. There is also the possibility of hiring an assistant quarterbacks coach in the future, as Klint Kubiak’s younger brother Klay Kubiak now holds the position in San Francisco.
Janocko’s work with Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields resulted in his firing, as did former offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, who also interviewed for the Saints role. However, perhaps training with a more traditional pocket passer would be a better fit for Janocko’s abilities. He has previously coached wide receivers and offensive lines.
This hire, like the predicted top contender for the offensive line coach position, contributes to the favorable prognosis for Kubiak’s hiring. The Saints cannot announce their new offensive coordinator until after the Super Bowl. This revelation allays fears of a potential backtrack on the much-anticipated deal.
The hires surrounding Kubiak will be as crucial as the decision to hire him in the first place. Through their coaching transactions thus far, the Saints have demonstrated a preference for surrounding Kubiak with folks who are familiar with him. A wise decision as they seek to rebuild their offensive identity.
