Derek Carr disaster may come back to haunt the Saints again in head coaching search
The post-Drew Brees has not been kind to the team in the Crescent City. Neither has the past three years minus head coach Sean Payton. The New Orleans Saints' last postseason appearance came in 2020, Brees’ last season in the league.
Since 2021, the club owns a 21-30 record. Payton’s successor, Dennis Allen, was dismissed after a 2-7 start this season (after opening 2-0). Interim head coach Darren Rizzi led the team the rest of the way. The team’s 5-12 showing was its worst since a 3-13 finish in 2005 — the year before Payton’s arrival.
At the moment, the Saints are the only one of the 32 NFL teams without a head coach.
Have the Saints found their man?
The team has zeroed in on a candidate, and all signs point to current Eagles’ offensive coordinator Kellen Moore being the choice. The latest from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
The #Saints plan to meet again with #Eagles OC Kellen Moore after the Super Bowl — a strong sign he’s the top candidate for the team’s head coaching job, sources tell The Insiders.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 31, 2025
Under NFL rules, the sides can’t speak again until after the game, which is Feb. 9 in New Orleans. pic.twitter.com/CmX7bZlykL
Moore has helped the Eagles get back to the Super Bowl a year after a 2023 showing that saw them lose six of their last seven contests (after a 10-1 start) — including an ugly 32-9 setback in the wild card round at Tampa. However, is the one-time offensive coordinator of the Cowboys and Chargers prepared for what lies ahead with a Saints’ franchise that hasn’t been able to get the quarterback situation right since Brees’s retirement?
The big “fix” appeared to be former Raiders’ Pro Bowler Derek Carr. After he was cut loose by the Silver and Black, he inked a four-year, $170 million deal with New Orleans. To date, he has played and started 27 games for the team, and the Saints are just 14-13 in those contests. There were a combined 40 TD passes, as well as 16 turnovers. He missed seven games in 2024, after starting all 17 contests the previous year. Carr was one of three different starting quarterbacks for the team this year.
It's worth noting (via Spotrac) that the Saints are currently more $50 million dollars over the estimated salary cap, most of that due to Carr’s exorbitant contract. As Pelissero points out, the Saints now can’t talk to Moore until after Super Bowl LIX. It’s a guess, but he may just have more than the Kansas City Chiefs on his mind the next week or so.
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