Tag: Saints

The Saints didn’t get an F, but their 2024 season grade is far from passing

“Injuries and the decline of the defense” resulted in the Saints’ worst season since 2005. These struggles shaped their final season grade

It’s hard to say too many good things about the New Orleans Saints season, and Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton didn’t try to fake it. He gave New Orleans a D grade.

The Saints’ season-long battle with injuries is a huge reason for it, but not the only reason. Moton correctly summed up the Saints’ 2024 demise: “they fell apart because of injuries and a declining defense.”

Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed missed a combined 20 games. Alvin Kamara missed the last three week. Erik McCoy, Cesar Ruiz and Lucas Patrick missed time simultaneously, making it harder for rookie backup Spencer Rattler during Derek Carr’s seven-game absence.

All of those injuries were on the offense, however. Paulson Adebo was really the lone injury defensively. Marshon Lattimore’s absence was spent mostly in Washington. The defense simply got too old and slow — and then they played without discipline by drawing too many penalties and giving up easy running lanes.

The defense still struggled with allowing explosive plays and fundamentals, such as tackling. It was these issues that made Dennis Allen’s departure mandatory. Not only was the team struggling to win games, his side of the ball was beginning to struggle as well.

What was once the backbone of the team turned into as much of a liability as the injured offense. The pairing of the two led to the worst season by the Saints in nearly 20 years. They must be better in 2025.

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Spencer Rattler starting in 2025 could be Kellen Moore’s best option

Kellen Moore reportedly doesn’t like the Saints’ quarterback situation. If he does take the job, Moore can take a few routes at quarterback

Kellen Moore reportedly doesn’t like the New Orleans Saints quarterback room, but there is still a chance he will take the head coach job. Moore has lucked up with the quarterbacks he has worked with in the NFL. He’s operated with Dak Prescott, Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts.

Stepping into a room with Derek Carr, Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener can feel less than enticing. Ben DiNucci was re-signed from the practice squad and has experience in Moore’s offense from their Dallas Cowboys days, but he could be swapped out for someone else in that reserve role. If Moore takes the job, who are the other options?

Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders highlight the quarterbacks in this year’s NFL draft. The Saints won’t be able to grab them, but Jaxson Dart could be available. Opinions are split on whether he’ll be a top-10 possibility, a second-day pick in Rounds 2 or 3, or even drafted at all.

Grabbing him in the top-10 would be a reach. In a thin quarterback class, but quarterback-needy climate, Dart could rise into the tail end of the first round with a strong pre-draft circuit. If not, he’s worth consideration if Moore likes him.

Another alternative is to let Rattler start in 2025. It gives the second-year pro a chance to play with a true supporting cast, which he never had the benefit of in his rookie season.

If Rattler performs well, maybe the Saints have their quarterback. If he doesn’t, there’s a good chance the Saints are picking in the first 10 picks again. That would position you well in what is supposed to be a much better quarterback class.

The expectations are already low for the next head coach’s first season. Taking a risk on a quarterback is acceptable. Carr starting next year elevates your floor. You would have a better chance of picking around the 15th selection. Choosing to start Rattler is a boom or bust scenario, but either outcome could be beneficial.

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Dennis Allen credits new job to ‘a product of the same connections’

Ben Johnson began recruiting Dennis Allen late last year. Their shared connections to Aaron Glenn and Dan Campbell may have played a big part in getting Allen to Chicago

Dennis Allen recently told Jay Glazer he felt worse for the young coaches under his leadership than himself after the New Orleans Saints fired him. Allen was confident his connections through his decade plus career would allow him to land on his feet.

It didn’t take long for Allen to land on his feet. He interviewed with the Indianapolis Colts earlier this offseason and was named the Chicago Bears defensive coordinator this week.

Allen credited landing in Chicago as “a product of the same connections.”

Ben Johnson came from the Detroit Lions alongside Aaron Glenn and Dan Campbell. It wouldn’t be surprising to hear Glenn and Campbell gave Allen a strong endorsement. They worked with each other for years in New Orleans.

Beyond just New Orleans, all he, Glenn and Campbell all been attended Texas A&M. As you look back to Allen’s comments to Glazer, you can assume these were the connections he was referencing.

Johnson felt so strongly about Allen as his potential defensive coordinator that he reached out to Allen before the regular season ended. Allen said, “At some point as we got later in the season, he reached out to me to see if I’d be interested.”

Allen’s comments to Glazer happened after Allen’s conversation with Johnson. With what we know now, it’s clear Allen was foreshadowing his next move. It was just too early to say too much.

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Darren Rizzi’s kickoff rules changes paid big dividends in 2024

Darren Rizzi pushed to change the kickoff rules in 2024, and the NFL was pleased with results. It resulted in longer kickoff returns, more touchdowns and fewer injuries:

Darren Rizzi is currently in the running for the New Orleans Saints head coaching vacancy, but he will be a sought after special teams coordinator if he isn’t selected. Ben Johnson wasted no time calling Rizzi after becoming the Chicago Bears head coach, but he’s expected to reunite with Sean Payton on the Denver Broncos staff if the Saints don’t hire him as their own head coach.

The success and return of the kickoff is a great display of why other teams will be calling his phone, as well. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the NFL is pleased with the improvements made to the play in 2024 due to the change of procedure.

It was Rizzi who pushed the procedure through. Instead of the kicking team being allowed to start running with the kicker, they now stand at the 40 yard line and wait for the ball to be kicked before they can run. The result was more kickoff returns, longer returns on average and an increase in touchdowns. Touchbacks were moved up to the 30 yard line rather than the 25. Most importantly, there have been fewer injuries on kickoffs.

It’s interesting to see how Rizzi had the Saints approach this compared to their peers around the league. While they faced the second-most kick returns (57), they allowed the sixth-fewest yards gained per return (26.0). No defense in the NFL started with better average field position than the Saints, too (their own 27.2 yard line). Rizzi bet on his coverage unit stopping the returner short of the touchback marker, and he often won that gamble.

Rizzi’s proactiveness in getting this rule passed reflects well on his special teams acumen and is a reason teams will flock towards him if he hits the market.

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B/R defines the Saints by their bleak offseason outlook, but how bad is it?

B/R’s Brad Gagnon summed up every team in just one sentence. He focused on the obstacles the Saints’ next coach must face:

Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon summed up every team’s future in just one sentence. The summary for the New Orleans Saints was a bleak outlook of what the next head coach is stepping into.

In cap hell yet again and with the roster aging and declining, the Saints desperately need to finally give in and commit to a full rebuild.

When breaking it down, these are the immediate reasons the job has been looked at poorly. They’re also the obstacles the next head coach will have to deal with. Whether it’s Kellen Moore, Mike McCarthy, Anthony Weaver, Darren Rizzi or Mike Kafka, all of them will have to find a solution for the cap and deal with aging players in at least Year 1. Right now, signs point to Moore taking the job after Super Bowl LIX.

It will also be the coach’s decision on how far the team dives into the rebuild. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a close example of a soft rebuild. They continued to win the NFC South while bringing in a lot of young talent and paying off dead money from old contracts.

Tampa Bay struck success with their quarterback acquisition, but the Saints will likely part ways with Derek Carr in the near future, though an immediate release doesn’t seem realistic. His departure could be the official turning point into a rebuild. That would likely coincide with a massive youth moment and exodus of veteran talent.

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Saints learned from Cardinals’ tampering mistake with Eagles head coach candidate

The Cardinals were once found guilty on tampering charges for Jonathan Gannon. The Saints are working to avoid that as they pursue Eagles coach Kellen Moore:

If the Philadelphia Eagles lose offensive coordinator Kellen Moore to the New Orleans Saints, it will be the second time they’ve lost their offensive coordinator in three seasons. It’s happened after both of their Super Bowl appearances. Coincidentally, they will have lost their play caller to the host city’s team both times as well.

After losing to the Kansas City Chiefs, defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon stayed in Phoenix to coach the Arizona Cardinals. Kellen Moore could have a similar fate in New Orleans.

And the Saints are taking every precaution to not have the same fate as the Cardinals. When Arizona hired Gannon, they had to swap third-draft picks with the Eagles because the NFL determined Arizona was guilty of tampering. Philadelphia received the No. 66 pick in exchange for the No. 94 pick, plus a fifth-round selection in 2024.

New Orleans hasn’t succumbed to the same pitfalls the Cardinals fell victim to. Arizona contacted Gannon for the first time the day after the NFC Championship Game. NFL rules dictate the process very clearly: when speaking with candidates, teams must first hold a virtual teleconference interview (capped at three hours). After that, they can meet in person either at the team facility or another location, and those talks can take eight or nine hours to cover everything. Further discussions can happen, but you’ve got to follow the process.

You may think to yourself the Saints did the same as Arizona. They did fly to Philadelphia after Moore’s offense put up a season-high 55 points to win the NFC. The difference is that New Orleans had followed NFL protocol to the letter. They already interviewed Moore virtually, but that was the first time the Cardinals talked to Gannon. This small difference of not being the initial contact is the difference between receiving tampering penalties.

What if they misstepped? New Orleans has two third-round selections. They’d most likely have to part ways with their first pick at No. 71 and drop down to No. 95 or 96 (depending on the Super Bowl outcome).

That’s a difference of 24 to 25 slots by simply adhering to the NFL regulations. The Saints need to stock talent right now, so dropping down in the draft is only acceptable via trade. They’ve done a good job following the rules to this point. Let’s hope they don’t drop the ball before they’ve crossed the goal line.

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Silence is an answer in New Orleans Saints head coaching search

The longer the New Orleans Saints don’t announce their new head coach, the more likely it will be Philadelphia Eagles OC Kellen Moore:

The New Orleans Saints are the only remaining coaching vacancy in the NFL, and the longer that remains the truth, the more obvious the selection. The Saints conducted their final interview on Monday when they flew to Philadelphia to meet with Kellen Moore.

Moore is the clear frontrunner for the job at this point, but the Saints can’t officially announce him as the head coach until after Super Bowl LIX since the Philadelphia Eagles are participating. That means they must wait until Monday, Feb. 10 to make it official.

If the Saints go into next week without a head coach, it’s a very safe assumption Moore will be the coach. If they decide to go in any other direction, all the other options are available to be hired at the present moment.

It also shouldn’t take two weeks to decide you want to go with a candidate such as Anthony Weaver. The Saints’ decision on who their next head coach will be should be done soon, if not already decided on. If there isn’t an announcement soon, they’re waiting until after the Super Bowl for a reason.

If Moore is the choice, New Orleans has to be careful to take the proper steps when approaching him. The Arizona Cardinals had to swap third-round picks with the Eagles after being found guilty of tampering with Johnathan Gannon for not adhering to the NFL contact schedule.

So far, the Saints have seemed to go by the book. Seeing that New Orleans needs to reload the roster, being forced to swap picks with the Eagles would be impactful.

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Drew Brees gave the Saints some advice during their coaching search

Drew Brees says he’s given the New Orleans Saints some advice during their coaching search: ‘I lend my expertise or recommendations when asked’

Drew Brees may not play for the New Orleans Saints any longer, but he is still deeply invested in the success of the team. ESPN’s Adam Schefter asked if Brees would join the Saints again in an official capacity.

Brees responded, “I don’t know, we’ll see,” as a smile began to grace his face. “It’s in my blood, it always will be. And so whether it’s direct or indirect, yes I will always say ‘we,’ that’s my team, our team, I just take so much pride in what we built and what we accomplished.”

Here’s the thing, though. Brees still has relationships with people in the building, so his opinion is still being heard. It just may not be in an official capacity.

Brees was on record saying he wanted Aaron Glenn in New Orleans before Glenn joined the New York Jets. Those thoughts were put into the public, but also vocalized privately.

“Feedback? Look I always have conversations, I have conversations with everybody in that organization about any number of topics. Hey what are we looking for? Yes. I lend my expertise or recommendations when asked,” Brees said, putting plainly. You have to wonder what his thoughts are on Kellen Moore.

Brees is currently focused on getting back into broadcasting. Joining the franchises as a part of the front office isn’t a part of his mission and he doesn’t need to be. His opinion is clearly valued enough to give input without an official title.

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Saints legend’s new dream: Leading his alma mater to a national championship

Reggie Bush led USC to a national championship as a player, and his newest desire is to deliver another college football title as a coach:

Reggie Bush made his name as one of the most electrifying college football players of all time at University of Southern California before being drafted by the New Orleans Saints. Bush is now looking to make his return to his alma mater but as a head coach.

There’s precedent for his hope.

Deion Sanders recently rose to prominence for excelling with limited coaching experience at Jackson State before moving to the University of Colorado. Tennessee State hired Eddie George in 2021. This past offseason, Michael Vick (Norfolk State) and Desean Jackson (Deleware State) were also hired.

Alabama State’s Eddie Robinson Jr. doesn’t have the profile of the previously mentioned players, but his journey is most reflective of Bush’s desires. Both men stayed connected to football after retirement through being involved in media. Most importantly, Robinson Jr. has been given the chance to lead his alma mater.

Bush’s ultimate goal is to “come back and be the head coach of USC at some point and help lead USC to a national championship.” His desire doesn’t just stop at USC. He reached out to Sacramento State about their vacancy this offseason as well.

Bush doesn’t have any experience coaching but likely sees other former players get opportunities with the same resume. Now that Bush has made his desire to coach known, he will be on the radar for any school trying to make that kind of splash. One thing to watch is will he try to build any coaching experience to make himself more attractive for head coaching openings. Maybe he’ll replace Lincoln Riley at USC some day, but for now he’s searching for his first opportunity to lead a program.

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Latest update reveals Anthony Weaver is long shot for Saints job

The Saints still haven’t hired a head coach, but it’s not looking like it’ll be Anthony Weaver.

The New Orleans Saints are the only team left without a head coach for the 2025 season and Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver is one of only a few candidates to land the job. His chances of getting the gig look pretty slim, though.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Saints have informed candidates for the position that they won’t make a final decision until after Super Bowl LIX next weekend. That’s when New Orleans will be allowed to continue discussions with Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore about the role

Moore, 37, has emerged as a significant favorite to get the job. The Saints’ decision to delay its head coaching hire until mid-February only perpetuates the sense that Moore landing in New Orleans is inevitable.

That presumably means that Weaver is set to return as the Dolphins’ defensive coordinator for a second season. Miami added the former Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans assistant during the 2024 offseason, and the Dolphins finished No. 4 in yards allowed in his first season with the team.

Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel has worked with three different defensive coordinators in as many seasons in Miami. Retaining Weaver would provide the team with continuity on that side of the ball for the first time in McDaniel’s tenure.

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