We’ve known most of the big parts for some time, but the Saints finally announced their full coaching staff for the coming season.
Topping the list is former defensive coordinator and Raiders head coach Dennis Allen coming back as a senior defensive assistant, where he’ll work with defensive coordinator Rob Ryan.
They’ve also hired John Morton as wide receivers coach, Joel Thomas as running backs coach, James Willis as defensive assistant/linebackers, Kyle DeVan and Greg Lewis as offensive assistants and Brendan Nugent as a coaching assistant.
Allen spent five years with the Saints before going to Denver as defensive coordinator in 2011, which led to his ill-fated gig with the Raiders.
Morton, who worked for Sean Payton’s first Saints staff in 2006, was most recently with the 49ers. Thomas spent the last two years coaching running backs at Arkansas.
Willis comes from Louisiana-Lafayette, but he had a seven-year NFL playing career with the Packers, Eagles and Seahawks, and he was also the defensive MVP of the XFL in 2001.
DeVan played five years in the NFL with the Colts, Eagles and Titans, and was a graduate assistant at Southern Cal last year.
Lewis played eight seasons in the NFL with the Eagles and Vikings, and was the receivers coach at the University of Pittsburgh last year. Nugent spent the last two years as a quality control coach for the Bears.
As part of their moves, they also announced that running backs coach Dan Roushar will move to tight ends coach.
The moves give Payton a 23-man staff, a large group to draw from.
