Moore or Less?
The trio of adjectives that sum up the New Orleans Saints´ 2024 campaign for most fans who had the displeasure of watching a game are all too often: Disheartening, Depressing, and Demoralizing.
After starting 2-0 for the second straight year, the Saints lost seven straight games, head coach Dennis Allen was fired, and New Orleans finished 5-12, the franchise's worst record since before the Sean Payton-Drew Brees era began.
New Orleans now turns to head coach Kellen Moore to lead the franchise. Last season, Moore ran the Philadelphia Eagles' offense en route to winning a Super Bowl. He's served as an offensive coordinator for three different teams the past six seasons and played quarterback in the NFL for six seasons prior to entering coaching. On paper, Moore is the opposite of Allen—a millennial (37 years old), first-time coach with an offensive background compared to the 52-year-old Allen, whose background was on the defensive side of the ball.
That zag may be the spark this franchise needs after missing the playoffs the past four seasons. With questions abounding at several key positions, just how quickly Moore and his staff can reverse the fortunes of the Saints remains to be seen.
Offense
It's a new era for the Saints offense following the offseason retirement of quarterback Derek Carr. Moore and first year offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier, a former Saints 1994 draft pick, will decide which young quarterback will lead the team this season, either rookie Tyler Shough or second-year pro Spencer Rattler.
Shough, drafted in the second round out of Louisville, passed for 23 touchdowns and nearly 3,200 yards, with a 62.7 completion percentage, last season. Although he's a rookie, Shough is exactly one year older than Rattler (both September 28 birthdays), after having played seven seasons for three different universities.
As a rookie last season, Rattler showed brief flashes of ability, but the former South Carolina Gamecock looked mostly overwhelmed, struggling with decision-making, accuracy, and consistency. In the seven games he played, Rattler threw for 1,317 yards, four touchdowns, and five interceptions while completing just 57 percent of his throws. Regardless of the quarterback selected to lead the offense, expect a more aggressive, up-tempo philosophy from Moore and Nussmeier, as well as some growing pains by the pair of young gunslingers.
Running back Alvin Kamara returns, after recording his best statistical season since 2020 last year. With turmoil at the quarterback position for much of 2024, Kamara shouldered a heavier load, accounting for nearly 1,500 combined rushing and receiving yards and eight touchdowns.
Aging running backs are always a concern, and the former All-Pro is 30 and is entering his ninth professional season. How many more explosive plays does Kamara have left in him? The Saints must find a reliable secondary runner among Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Kendre Miller, and rookie Devin Neal.
The Saints' wide receiving corps could rely on two players whose third seasons were cut short by injury last year. Wide receiver Chris Olave should be the primary weapon for his young quarterbacks, but, after back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons to start his career, Olave's 2024 season was cut short by a pair of concussions. With four known concussions during his short career, concerns linger about his long-term viability if he sustains another big hit. Rashid Shaheed, whose career trajectory looked promising as well after two seasons, will return from a knee injury. They'll be joined by former Saint Brandin Cooks, Cedrick Wilson, Bub Means, and Dante Pettis.
Speaking of players returning from injury, don't expect to see Taysom Hill to start the season. The fan-favorite tight end, who is a veritable Swiss Army knife, is still recovering from an ACL injury suffered late last season and will likely miss a large chunk of the 2025 campaign.
Defense
The Saints' defense was abysmal last season, ranking 30 out of 32 teams in total defense, allowing almost 380 yards per game. It's not entirely that unit's fault, with offensive inconsistency and injuries plaguing both sides of the ball, but those factors do not change the results.
New defensive coordinator Brandon Staley has installed a 3-4 defensive scheme, featuring three down linemen and four linebackers. This scheme will allow defensive ends, including Cam Jordan, Chase Young, and Carl Granderson, to be utilized in the outside linebacking spot as part of the "four" in the scheme. The front three will feature some combination of defensive tackles Bryan Bresee, Davon Godchaux, Jonah Williams, Nathan Shepherd, and Khalen Saunders.
Veterans Demario Davis and Pete Werner will serve once again as the inside linebackers. The secondary will be led by versatile cornerback Alontae Taylor, alongside Kool-Aid McKinstry, and rookie Quincy Riley. Justin Reid will help round out the secondary at safety.
Even a slight improvement in a unit ranked near the bottom of the league would be welcomed, but Staley's presence should pay dividends for the defense both short and long term.
Prediction
The Saints are a team in transition, but with a new coaching regime, there are reasons to be optimistic about the franchise's future. There is still much uncertainty throughout the roster, especially at quarterback, and durability concerns have plagued the Saints in recent years.
Moore is tasked with rebuilding a solid foundation for the franchise, not necessarily winning the division. Enough talent remains on the roster for a surprise postseason appearance, but unless Shough or Rattler can vastly exceed expectations, the Saints will miss the playoffs for the fifth straight season.
