Saints owner calls 1-4 start ‘not acceptable’

Benson added that she is “very pleased with what [Loomis] has accomplished, acquired and is building.” It’s quite the endorsement from a team owner whose team is one loss away from a second consecutive losing season, and is looking like a lock to hold a top-five pick in next year’s draft. Loomis has been with the Saints since 2013 and enjoyed years of success when Sean Payton and Drew Brees were in the building, but things look a bit different now. Last year’s team imploded after an impressive 2-0 start, and this offseason they unexpectedly loss Derek Carr to retirement due to a shoulder injury. With questions still remaining at quarterback and Alvin Kamara entering the twilight of his career, Loomis has plenty to address on offense this offseason, and has a number of aging vets on defense. Benson’s endorsement of him would suggest he’ll be safe entering next offseason, but 2026 could be a true prove-it year for the long-time GM.

This was expected to be the case, but Moore confirmed it at his introductory press conference on Thursday. The first-time head coach made a name for himself as an offensive play-caller and is fresh off leading the Eagles’ offense to 33 points in the team’s Super Bowl win over the Chiefs. Moore and the Eagles leaned heavily into the ground game last season, but during his 2023 campaign with the Chargers and his four-year run with the Cowboys (2019-2022), his offenses were ranked in the top-15 in early-down pass rate. How Moore decides to run his offense with the Saints could depend on how their off-season goes. While Alvin Kamara isn’t getting any younger, it’s hard to imagine any coach trusting Derek Carr to lead a high-volume passing attack.

“Perhaps offensive coordinator,” Rapoport adds. Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni has made some noise about blocking assistants from leaving today but with an elevation, he’d have no way to block Nussmeier moving to the Saints. Nussmeier has been Moore’s quarterbacks coach with the Cowboys, Chargers, and Eagles. He has not been a candidate for any prominent external jobs that we’ve written about since interviewing for the Ravens offensive coordinator gig in 2023.

New Saints head coach Kellen Moore reportedly has strong interest in bringing in Staley as the team’s defensive coordinator. Staley flamed out as Chargers head coach after three seasons, going 24-24 and heading one of the NFL’s worst defenses. Staley spent the 2024 season as an assistant to Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan. As head of the Saints defense, Staley would take over a unit that last year ranked 19th in EPA allowed and 18th in offensive success rate allowed. The Saints pressured the passer at the 11th lowest rate in 2024.

Two days after Moore and the Eagles dominated the Chiefs in the Super Bowl, Moore, 36, gets his first crack at a head coaching gig. The Eagles reportedly expected Moore to be a short-term OC, especially if he had immediate success with Jalen Hurts and the Philly offense. He did just that in 2024: The Eagles were eighth in total yards and seventh in points, ranking sixth in EPA per play and first in rush EPA thanks to Saquon Barkley’s massive campaign. In New Orleans, Moore will have to figure out how to make it work with Derek Carr at the helm and an aging Alvin Kamara in the backfield. Moore’s ability to manipulate defenses and create space for his playmakers will be put to the test in 2025 and beyond.

The Moore-Saints partnership is not actually, as an NFL national reporter would say, “officially official” yet. But all signs have been pointing that way for some time. Staley took on assistant head coach duties for the 49ers last year after washing out of Los Angeles in 2023. Given how poorly San Francisco’s defense played last year, he wouldn’t exactly be an inspiring defensiv coordinator hire for Moore. But Staley had a good track record on that side of the ball prior to 2023 and a Kliff Kingsbury-esque bounceback could definitely happen.

This comment came shortly after the team’s Super Bowl LIX victory over the Chiefs, when Lurie was asked if he expects the team to lose Moore to the Saints this week. Lurie simply responded with “I do” before proceeding to praise the coordinator who was fresh off leading the Eagles to their second championship in eight seasons. The ink has long felt dry on Moore’s contract with the Saints, even though nothing has been made official yet. We’d expect the official word to come down any day now, but Lurie’s recent comments are about as definite as it gets.

The NFL’s worst kept secret keeps inching closer to becoming official. Moore’s hiring would be the Saints’ first leap outside the Sean Payton coaching tree in two decades, and would follow on the heels of an excellent “bounce-back campaign” for Moore after a trying 2023 with the Chargers. A methodical coaching riser who has overseen strong offenses most everywhere he’s been, Moore would address the Saints’ desperate need for fresh ideas when it comes to scoring points.

Moore has already interviewed with the Saints twice. As Pelissero notes, a third meeting can’t happen until after the Super Bowl, hence the timing. The Super Bowl is also conveniently located in New Orleans, making an in-person visit a small ask for Moore. It’s been reported multiple times that Moore is the favorite to land the Saints opening. A third meeting all but confirms that. Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver and Giants OC Mike Kafka have both had multiple interviews with the Saints and are still in the mix.

Moore interviewed with the Saints for a second time on Monday. He is still game-planning for the Super Bowl, so a potential hire would have to wait, but Rapoport reports Moore is in a strong position with the Saints. The Saints have also interviewed Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver and Giants OC Mike Kafka twice, while former Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy may still be in play. New Orleans is the last head coaching job available and Moore’s work with Dak Prescott when he was offensive coordinator with the Cowboys, along with his success with the Eagles this season, makes him a strong candidate to be a head coach.