NEW ORLEANS — With the New Orleans Saints expected to hire Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore as their head coach, he would become the Saints’ 19th head coach in franchise history and the 12th full-time head coach for the organization.
Moore privately has told people he is interested in and wants the Saints job, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter, and the Saints want him, which is why a deal is expected to get done once the sides can meet again after Super Bowl LIX, barring an unexpected breakdown in contract talks.
The vacancy was left after the Saints fired Dennis Allen on Nov. 4. The Saints had lost seven straight after starting 2-0 and scoring 91 points in that span. Special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi took over as the interim coach, and New Orleans finished 5-12 on the season.
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Rizzi was one of several candidates the Saints interviewed for their permanent job in a search that began at the conclusion of the regular season.
The pool included Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver and New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, both of whom had multiple interviews. There was also interest in former Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, now the New York Jets coach, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady, former Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy and Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, who withdrew from the process before interviewing with the team.
Taking a closer look, Saints reporter Katherine Terrell answers three big questions about Moore’s potential as head coach and national insider Jeremy Fowler dishes on what he’s hearing. Matt Miller spins it forward to the draft and analyst Ben Solak grades the pending hire.
What will Moore get with the Saints roster?
The biggest question is whether Moore retains quarterback Derek Carr or if they will go in a different direction. If so, he’ll inherit a veteran quarterback who has gone through an offensive coordinator change almost every year of his career. Moore will also have to figure out how to turn an aging defense around after the unit struggled to stop the run (31st in the league) and contain mobile quarterbacks. Getting the defense back on top will be one of Moore’s top priorities, which could make the defensive line one of their targets in the draft. — Terrell
What hurdles will Moore face?
The Saints have an aging defense. Linebacker Demario Davis, defensive end Cameron Jordan and safety Tyrann Mathieu are all 32 or older and Jordan and Davis do not have successors lined up. Offensively, the quarterback is the big question. The Saints have to decide on keeping Carr and a $50 million cap figure or cut him and move ahead with a younger signal caller — whether that be in the draft or with Spencer Rattler or another young backup. Do-everything player Taysom Hill is also 34 and coming off a major knee injury, while offensive depth is thin at pass catcher — Terrell
What qualities does Moore bring as a coach?
Moore, 36, is a young, energetic coach with fresh ideas and the same age as linebacker Davis. Moore is a former quarterback who would come to the Saints with experience, playing three games with the Dallas Cowboys in the 2015 season. He would also be their first offensive-minded coach since Sean Payton and has worked with quarterbacks like Dak Prescott, Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts. That could be an asset to the young quarterbacks, Rattler and Jake Haener, currently backing up Carr. The Eagles were seventh in scoring offense (27.2 points per game) in Moore’s lone season as offensive coordinator — Terrell
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What are you hearing around the league on the likely hire?
Moore has long been qualified to be an NFL head coach — with the right demeanor, offensive acumen and people skills to succeed. But people I’ve talked to around the league believe this job will be challenging. The Saints have an aging roster, salary cap issues and no short-term solutions in sight. Plus, building a coaching staff this late in the process will not be easy. The Cowboys already hired several assistant coaches that Moore was considering. What the Saints do have is a tradition of winning, something that observers around the league believe should give Moore solace as he enters his first head job. — Fowler
What is the Saints’ best approach to the No. 9 pick? Will Moore favor the offense?
The Saints have needs across the board, making for a true “best player available” situation at No. 9. Carr has not emerged as a true franchise quarterback, receiver Chris Olave missed nine games this season with concussions and the offensive line is still developing. So yes, it’s very possible the Saints will focus on Moore’s side of the ball in the first round. But … this roster isn’t good enough to zero in on any one position or unit.
With the team’s dreadful salary cap situation, all positions should be considered. Looking at the draft board and teams selecting ahead of the Saints, it’s unlikely a first-round QB will drop to their spot. That means wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona), tight end Tyler Warren (Penn State) and pass rusher Mykel Williams (Georgia) might be the best players in that range. If Moore wants an instant impact on offense, Warren’s ability to score from anywhere on the field and his bruising power in the run game would fit well in New Orleans. — Miller
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How would you grade the pending hire?
B. All things considered, the Saints were probably the least desirable job opening of the cycle, and they still landed a young offensive playcaller. Being able to bring in Moore is better than I expected for a franchise clearly planning a multiyear rebuild.
Moore was viewed as an up-and-coming coaching star just a few years ago but lost some momentum as the Cowboys underachieved during his tenure as their offensive coordinator (2019-22). However, he’s a proven problem-solver on the offensive side of the ball, tailoring his scheme to multiple quarterbacks to maximize them. There’s a high enough ceiling here to get excited about Moore, who should have room to grow in New Orleans through the first-time head-coach pains. — Solak
