There was a report early Tuesday that the Saints hired former Dolphins General Manager Jeff Ireland to a college scouting job, but Ireland later said that he has only spoken to the Saints about a job and not agreed on a contract to join the organization.
Ireland also said that he hopes to work for New Orleans. Coincidentally or not, the team now has an opening for a director of college scouting.
Rick Reiprish was in that job until Tuesday, but he’s told several reporters that Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis fired him around noon. Reiprish is in Mobile for the Senior Bowl, so it makes sense that he said the news came as a surprise to him even after the Saints promised changes after their disappointing season. Reiprish told Lyons Yellin of WWL-TV that he has no “hard feelings” toward the organization that he’s worked for since 2004 as a result of the move.
He also said that the first he’d heard of Ireland possibly joining the club came when he spoke to his wife after being fired, but the timing of the move certainly points to Ireland’s discussions progressing to a deal that puts him in the Saints personnel department sooner rather than later.
