The Saints brought back former secondary coach Dennis Allen in January, hiring him at the Senior Bowl a few months after he had been fired as the head coach of the Raiders. Allen, who was officially named a senior defensive assistant, would be promoted to defensive coordinator by the middle of the season.
In what was considered a mild surprise, Mark Ingram, the Saints' first-round draft pick in 2011, signed a four year, $16 million deal to stay with the team. The Saints had rarely spent big money to keep their running backs in recent years.