A guy deserving a raise...

I was thinking this morning of our offensive woes and lack of imagination in the passing game.  It's unbelievable to me that we have $15M tied up in two receivers the caliber of Owens & Evans and that we are unable to get them the ball.  The last few days I've been quite vocal about my total dissatisfaction with the job that Jauron is doing and that we should get rid of him sooner than later.  I also suggested that Jon Gruden seems like a perfect replacement because he is young, very passionate, an offensive guru that also has experience with the defensive system that we run in Buffalo.

This morning I started to look at potential offensive coordinators.  Gruden went from receivers coach in GB to OC at Philly and was quite successful so I started to look at potential offensive position coaches that might deserve a raise to OC.  One guy that has done miracles with very little isNew Orleans receiver coach: Curtis Johnson

When you see the list of guys that he has coached you quickly realize how good this guy is.  People forget that Colston was a 7th round pick and Moore was undrafted.  Henderson was a 2nd rounder.  The only first rounder was Robert Meachem.

This is what they say about him on his bio sheet from the New Orleans site: 

"With a coaching style that is intense and detail-oriented, Johnson’s group of wideouts have combined for 65 touchdown grabs and 24 performances with over 100 yards receiving since 2006.

Entering his fourth year of his initial NFL assignment, few coaches at any level can match the wide receivers that Johnson has helped develop. The group of standouts under his direction while at Miami and his prior stop at San Diego State includes some of the top wide receivers over the last decade, including NFL first-round picks Andre Johnson, Santana Moss, Reggie Wayne, Yatil Green and Darnay Scott.

At Miami, Johnson was part of a staff that went to nine bowl games and won the 2001 National Championship. He polished the skills of at least one All-Big East performer each season from 1996-2005, including Johnson – the third overall pick by Houston in 2003 – and Moss, who became the Hurricanes’ all-time leader in receiving yardage before making the Pro Bowl for Washington. Wayne departed ranked first in school history in catches is a Pro Bowl performer for Indianapolis.

In his five-year stint at San Diego State (1989-93) Johnson landed some of the school’s biggest recruits, including 2000 NFL MVP and fellow New Orleans native Marshall Faulk as well as Scott, who completed his eight-year NFL career with 408 grabs and 37 TDs. Each year Johnson was with the Aztecs the school had an all-conference performer at wide receiver."

I think this guy knows a thing or two about the receiver position and I could see him getting an opportunity as an OC.  I doubt that he would have a hard time getting TO & Lee involved in the game plan.  Johnson was hired by Payton in 2006 and has been the one constant because the OC has changed a few times.  The saints went from bottom dwellers to number 1 in total offensive yards in 2006, dropped to #4 in 2007 then have been #1 ever since.  I think Johnson has a lot of value as a potential OC.

Gruden as HC & Johnson as OC, not bad...