NEW ORLEANS — The busy offseason of the New Orleans Saints has been mostly centered around changes on the offensive side of the coaching staff. On Friday, news hit that could actually impact the opposite of the ball. And if it did, it would be in a big way.

Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Saints linebackers coach Michael Hodges has been reportedly sacked for holding informal interview for the New England Patriots’ defensive coordinator role. With former inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo succeeding Bill Belichick in Foxboro, there will certainly be an appreciation for Hodges’ list of accomplishments as he explores the opportunity.

In addition to assisting rookie linebackers like Pete Werner, Kaden Elliss, Zack Baun, and Nephi Sewell in their rapid development, Hodges was instrumental in helping Demario Davis complete all five of his All-Pro seasons in New Orleans. When Hodges was promoted from assistant linebackers coach to defensive assistant in 2019, Davis was honored as a first-team All-Pro for the first time in his career.

Since then, with Hodges serving as his linebackers coach, Davis has been selected as a second-team All-Pro linebacker each year since 2020. Although Davis has been excellent for a long time and may have been awarded an All-Pro several times before coming to New Orleans, there is no denying the impact he has had in the Big Easy with Hodges.

In addition to his work in player development, Hodges is an excellent builder of relationships. It can be difficult for him to deal with both young and experienced players because, at only 37, he is a youthful coach in the league. But Hodges has only risen to the occasion since then. In addition to being a great mentor to the younger players, he has developed a beneficial rapport with Davis, an experienced player, which has benefited the defense as a whole.

This loss would be significant for the Saints. Not only would they lose their coaching staff, but it wouldn’t be shocking if players like Ty Summer, Andrew Dowell, and Baun, who are all set to become free agents, followed Hodges to New England if he were hired. Summers and Dowell (when fit) have been key players on special teams, but Baun emerged at the conclusion of the season as a strongside linebacker with a pass-rushing role. The Patriots take almost as much pride in their special teams unit as the Saints do.

Hodges is the first assistant from the Saints to be selected for a coordinator interview thus far (the New York Giants hired running backs coach Joel Thomas in the same capacity). He certainly deserves to move up in the league and have more chances. Undoubtedly, though, New Orleans would like to keep him on staff to work with their linebackers, particularly given the possibility of adding additional young talent to that group in the offseason.