The New Orleans Saints hiring Kellen Moore to become their new head coach is far from a done deal. The Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator cannot formally accept the job or sign a contract until after Super Bowl LIX, meaning the Saints would have to wait until Feb. 10 to cross the finish line — just like they did last year with offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.
So things could go sideways. Moore could choose to stay on a Super Bowl contender rather than try his luck with the Saints. It’s obvious by now that the Saints aren’t an appealing destination around the league (just look at Aaron Glenn, Joe Brady, and Kliff Kingsbury all choosing to go in other directions). And one aspect that may turn off prospective coaches is the Saints’ outlook at quarterback.
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini shared what she’s heard about the situation.
“There was a little scuttlebutt,” Russini said on her Scoop City podcast, “about whether or not Kellen would want this job. And it’s due to the fact they don’t have a quarterback there already in place, that was concerning. With that being said I think he’s come around on it from what I was hearing, ‘Maybe this is the right spot for me.'”
Derek Carr is only one game over .500 as the Saints’ starter, and behind him they have one uninspiring backup in Jake Haener and a winless rookie in Spencer Rattler. Carr is also owed more than $51 million this year due to last season’s restructure and there isn’t a realistic path out of his contract in 2025. This will take time to fix. Russini says that’s partly why Moore and the Saints could actually be a good fit.
“They do (have Carr under contract). But there’s also an understanding throughout the league that the New Orleans Saints need another year to rebuild this thing. They’re in cap hell. And they’re comfortable understanding that. They know their limitations. They’re not expecting Kellen Moore to come in here, let’s just say and get the job, and turn this whole thing around. They know they need someone who’s patient with them,” Russini finished.
The Saints were conservative in free agency last year while working to clear their salary cap books, and that’s likely to be the approach again in 2025. With so many teams craving instant success around the NFL — that shortsighted approach is why Mickey Loomis put the Saints in cap hell, by the way — it’s kind of refreshing to see a path for Moore to take his time and get his own players and coaches in the building. But that path isn’t for everyone, and it’s likely why Russini picked up those rumors of discontent surrounding the Saints head coach search.
