The New Orleans Saints are heading into 2025 with a brand new regime under first-year head coach Kellen Moore.
Moore has an impressive track record when it comes to working with quarterbacks and putting together top 10 offensive units in the NFL, so while it may take some time, it’s fair to assume the Saints will get a major boost on offense under his leadership.
While the quarterback position will be debated all offseason, the Saints roster has a few impressive offensive weapons in place that Moore can utilize in year one.
Alvin Kamara is still one of the best running backs in the NFL, while Chris Olave has flashed true No. 1 WR potential.
Just before the NFL Draft, it was reported that Derek Carr has a shoulder injury that could sideline him for the entire 2025 season. The Saints brass had already tweaked Carr’s contract to free up cap space, but he’s owed a huge chunk of cash from the organization this season.
Carr — who has been below average as the starting QB since joining the Saints from the Raiders — initially stayed quiet about the injury but decided to finally confirm it was true.
Even if he was healthy, it wasn’t a sure thing Carr would be starting for the Saints at QB in 2025, so it’s no surprise New Orleans selected a quarterback in the second round of the NFL Draft.
They went with Louisville QB Tyler Shough, and as it stands, he will likely be competing with second-year QB Spencer Rattler for the starting job in 2025.
But if the Saints are going to make major strides, they need significant improvement on defense as well. They finished 2024 with the No. 30 overall defense in the NFL, allowing 379.9 yards per game.
Last year midseason, the Saints traded away their top corner, Marshon Lattimore, to the Commanders.
With a void at cornerback, Anthony Palacios of Last Word on Sports predicts the Saints may trade for Cowboys All-Pro CB Daron Bland:
The Saints have yet to find their next long-term starter for their cornerback unit. Kool-Aid McKinstry is a “lock” to be a starter, but they can’t depend on Alontae Taylor to do much. Bland might take a few seasons to adjust, but he’s easily the favorable man in this situation to fit into what the Saints built this offseason when it came to the safety department after signing Justin Reid.