Could hint the outcome of some offseason decisions.
The New Orleans Saints offensive staff is almost complete, and this group has some trends. There is an evident youth movement with this offensive staff, and most of the coaches are connected to Kellen Moore’s previous teams. Something notable is that head coach Kellen Moore, soon to be expected offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier, and quarterbacks coach Scott Tolzien are all former NFL quarterbacks. Also, both Moore and Nussmeier were former QB coaches. This coaching staff focuses on QB development, which may be a hint for important decisions in the offseason.
Moving on from Derek Carr would be a massive move by the Saints, but I think it should happen. Carr has been disengaged from New Orleans all offseason, he will not fit Kellen Moore’s scheme, and his contract is not worth his production on the field. Moving on from Carr is the last step for the team to enter a new era of Saints football. Unless his contract is tinkered with to make Carr’s cap hit smaller, there will be cap space replacements to make this move, but it is a needed one, and these staff hires hint at going in that direction.
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If the Saints do move on from Carr, Kellen Moore and the offensive staff have two directions: Stick with Spencer Rattler for this season or draft a QB. There have been several reports that the Saints front office loves Rattler and believe that he is a future starting QB. With a new head coach coming in, the final say on QB will be Kellen Moore. His belief in Rattler will be the deciding factor on the QB decision, and it would make sense why this ends up being the choice Moore goes with. Last season, Rattler showed positive signs and development throughout the season. When Rattler was put in after Jake Haener struggled against the Commanders, he looked much better than he did during the games he started at the beginning of the season. Rattler improved and developed even with an offensive staff that struggled. This is a highly positive sign for the new coaching staff.
Going with Rattler instead of drafting a rookie QB is also a smarter team-building decision. With the current state of the roster, the Saints have too many issues to fix in one season. Many rookie quarterbacks that become busts go to terrible situations where either the coaching staff is attempting to save their job, or the roster sets the prospect up to fail. The Saints also cannot make many improvements in free agency, so selections on Day 1 and 2 are vital in adding talent to this roster. The best decision would be to improve the roster through the draft this year, so Spencer Rattler is set up to succeed. Then, if he is not the guy, the Saints can draft a QB in 2026 and put that prospect in a much better roster situation. Once again, this comes down to whether Kellen Moore believes in Rattler, and if he doesn’t, then going with a quarterback in the draft makes sense.
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The 2025 NFL Draft does not have a strong quarterback group, but many teams drafting early needs a starting QB next season. If the Saints go away from Spencer Rattler, they will need a quarterback, and with this coaching staff, going with a rookie makes sense. The two top quarterback prospects, Cam Ward and Sheduer Sanders, could drop in the first round depending on how free agency and trades go before the draft. The Titans have stated they will not pass up on a “generational talent” with the first pick. This could be a smokescreen, but Tennessee signing a QB and then drafting a top player is a likely outcome. The Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, Las Vegas Raiders, and New York Jets could all go in a similar direction and find their starting QB through a different avenue than the draft. That would cause Ward and Sanders to drop, and the Saints can take advantage of this.
New Orleans would probably need to trade up for Ward to guarantee that selection, but Sanders could be available at pick 9. Drafting him 9th overall might be a reach, but if Kellen Moore wants Sanders, he needs to be the selection. Also, Ward and Sanders need development, but they can play immediately. If these QB prospects end up not falling, the Saints could also go with one on Day 2. Jaxson Dart and Jalen Milroe make sense as prospects that Kellen Moore could target but starting either in 2025 is a risk. Dart and Milroe are developmental prospects and need time to grow. Starting them right away is extremely risky and could stop any potential from being reached.
The decision comes down to what Kellen Moore wants, and with how many quarterback-focused coaches are on the staff, development should not be a worry.
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