It’s been one week since the New Orleans Saints began their search for an offensive coordinator, and although though a number of candidates have been publicly identified and interviewed, it’s difficult to determine how far along each one is.

However, certain inferences can be made from those the Saints have already spoken with. The Saints Insider crew convened last week to talk about the new additions, the potential length of the hiring process, and the critical importance of general manager Mickey Loomis making this appointment.

Is it more likely that the new hire is someone more experienced with the offense the Saints have been running, or might it come from the coaching tree of Mike Shanahan and Sean McVay?

Read on for a portion of the discussion. Click here for the full show.

The New Orleans Saints have been looking for an offensive coordinator for a week, and while several candidates have been made public and have been interviewed, it’s hard to say how far along they are all at this point.

Still, there are some conclusions to be drawn from the people the Saints have previously spoken to. The Saints Insider crew got together last week to discuss the new hires, how long the recruiting process might take, and how crucial it is that general manager Mickey Loomis make this selection.

Is it more likely that the new hire comes from the coaching tree of Sean McVay and Mike Shanahan, or is it someone with more expertise with the offense the Saints have been running?

Zach Ewing: Jeff, what’s the timeline on this? Mickey Loomis talked about how he was going to be deliberate and interview plenty of candidates — and that’s his style. Could we see this drag out past the Super Bowl?

Jeff DuncanIndeed, I firmly believe it, as I believe that certain applicants on these playoff teams are likely candidates they would like to interview in the future. Some of these men have conducted interviews, so perhaps they can, but given the Saints’ organizational style, I believe they’ll wait and take care of it. Because of the way Mickey Loomis works, I would assume it will take several weeks. He is meticulous, methodical, and constantly emphasizes making the best hire possible rather than the quickest one. Therefore, I don’t see a hurry for them.

What primarily interests me is whether or not they’re prepared to put money on the table to compete for one of these elite aides. Let’s say they settle on Kliff Kingsbury. He won’t come cheap, so are they prepared to cover that expense? It’s not like they’ve ever had to do it before. As a coordinator, I believe Gregg Williams was the most costly and well-known assistant they employed. He’s the last person that comes to mind.

If they’re more interested in finding a young, up-and-coming coach like the ones they’ve interviewed, or if they want to go out for someone like that. “Is your system adaptable to what we’re running?” is probably one of the questions they’re asking about the profile that’s there. Sometimes you can blend it in; it doesn’t always have to be exactly what they’re running. The Saints have a highly complex system. Alternatively, if they’re debating, let’s wait and see what these individuals have to say before determining whether or not to move outside and implement a new system, as Luke puts it.

Read more on sportupdates.co.uk