Can Kellen Moore Revive the Saints Offense? A Bold Prediction for 2025

The New Orleans Saints are banking on Kellen Moore to inject life into their offense, which sputtered through much of the 2024 season. After a disappointing 5-12 season, marked by offensive struggles and inconsistency, the Saints brought in Moore as their new head coach, hoping he can replicate the success he had with the Philadelphia Eagles, who won Super Bowl LIX. But can Moore truly revive the Saints’ offense and lead them back to contention in 2025?

The State of the Saints Offense in 2024

The 2024 season was a rollercoaster for the Saints’ offense. While they started strong, posting consecutive 40-plus point games early in the season, injuries and inconsistent play plagued them throughout the year. Quarterback Derek Carr, in his first season with the team, struggled with injuries, limiting him to just 10 games. The Saints offense ranked 19th in points scored and 30th in yards.

The Saints’ offensive struggles weren’t solely Carr’s fault. The offensive line struggled with pass protection, ranking 23rd in OL+, and the running game lacked consistency. The receiving corps, outside of Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, failed to provide reliable production. As Dennis Allen noted, the Saints needed more players outside of Alvin Kamara, Olave, Taysom Hill, and Shaheed to step up and make plays.

Kellen Moore’s Offensive Philosophy

Kellen Moore’s hiring signals a potential shift in offensive philosophy for the Saints. Moore has a track record of success as an offensive coordinator, with stints in Dallas, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia. He’s known for his quarterback-friendly play calling, helping quarterbacks like Dak Prescott and Jalen Hurts thrive in his system.

Moore’s offensive approach is adaptable, and he has experience with both pass-heavy and run-heavy schemes. In Philadelphia, he oversaw an offense that ranked second in rushing, fifth in points, and eighth in total offense. With the Eagles, Saquon Barkley rushed for over 2,000 yards. This success suggests that Moore can tailor his system to fit the strengths of his personnel.

Moore emphasizes tempo and motion to stress opposing defenses. He also likes to attack the middle of the field. His quick passing game, a staple of his offenses in Dallas and Los Angeles, is something the Saints have lacked in recent years.

Key Questions for the Saints Offense in 2025

Several key questions surround the Saints’ offense heading into the 2025 season:

Can Kellen Moore fix Derek Carr? Carr’s 2024 season was a mixed bag. While he showed flashes of potential, he struggled with injuries and consistency. Moore will need to find ways to maximize Carr’s strengths, potentially utilizing more play-action and RPOs to get the ball out quickly. Carr played his best season under Jon Gruden when the emphasis was on short and intermediate passing.
How will Moore utilize Alvin Kamara? Kamara remains a dynamic playmaker, but he’s not a workhorse back like Saquon Barkley. Moore could use Kamara more in the passing game, leveraging his pass-catching ability in space.
Can the Saints improve their offensive line? The Eagles’ offensive line was a major reason for their success in 2024. The Saints must improve their offensive line to create running lanes and protect Carr.
Will the Saints add more weapons at wide receiver and tight end? The Saints need to find more reliable targets for Carr outside of Olave and Shaheed. Adding a big-bodied receiver who can win in the middle of the field would be a welcome addition.

Bold Prediction for 2025

While it’s unlikely that Moore can completely transform the Saints’ offense in one season, there’s reason to believe they can make significant strides in 2025.

Bold Prediction: The Saints’ offense will improve to a top-15 unit in the NFL in 2025, ranking in the top half of the league in both scoring and total yards.

Here’s why:

Moore’s Adaptability: Moore has shown the ability to adapt his offense to fit his personnel. He’ll tailor his system to maximize the strengths of Carr, Kamara, Olave, and Shaheed.
Emphasis on Quick Passing: Moore’s emphasis on the quick passing game will benefit Carr, who thrives when he can get the ball out quickly.
Improved Offensive Line Play: With a focus on improving the offensive line, the Saints will be able to run the ball more effectively and provide better protection for Carr.
Increased Production from Supporting Cast: Moore will find ways to get more production from the Saints’ supporting cast of receivers and tight ends.

While the Saints may not be Super Bowl contenders in 2025, their offense will be much improved under Kellen Moore. The Saints will be a tough team to stop with a more explosive and creative offense.

Coaching Staff Additions

To support Moore, the Saints have made several key coaching staff additions, including:

Doug Nussmeier (Offensive Coordinator): Nussmeier, who previously worked with Moore in Philadelphia, will serve as the Saints’ offensive coordinator.
Brandon Staley (Defensive Coordinator): Staley will look to improve the Saints defense.
Phil Galiano (Special Teams Coordinator): Galiano was promoted to special teams coordinator after serving as an assistant special teams coach for several years.

Roster Changes

The Saints haven’t made many changes to their roster. Kellen Moore’s strategic play-calling will be pivotal in enhancing offense and driving improvement. Young players like Isaiah Foskey, Khristian Boyd, and Kool-Aid McKinstry are poised for bigger roles on defense. The revamped coaching staff aims to bring consistency and adaptability to the Saints’ game plan, potentially redefining their trajectory.