The New Orleans Saints had a rough go of things in 2024 under former head coach Dennis Allen, posting a 2-7 record before firing him roughly halfway through the season.
The Black and Gold started off 2-0, outscoring the Panthers and Cowboys 91-29 in dominant fashion.
For reference, the 2009 Saints, who won the franchise’s lone Super Bowl, scored 93 in their first two games of that magical season.
However, a seven-game losing streak immediately followed for the ‘24 Who Dats, their worst such slump since 1999.
Interim head coach Darren Rizzi injected temporary juice into the team, who went on to win three of their next four contests, sitting at 5-8, but a four-game skid to end the season meant the Saints finished bottom of their division at 5-12 for the first time since 2008.
A slew of injuries plagued the Saints once more as their top two wide receivers, Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, missed a combined 22 games, while center Erik McCoy and fellow offensive linemen Cesar Ruiz and Lucas Patrick all missed significant time.
Swiss army knife Taysom Hill additionally tore his ACL, and his future with the franchise remains a question heading into the season, as he turns 35.
Former quarterback Derek Carr’s campaign was cut short due to a multitude of injuries before announcing his retirement during the offseason because of longstanding pain in his right shoulder caused by a labrum tear, as well as degenerative damage to his rotator cuff.
While losing a head coach and franchise quarterback in the same season is far from ideal, a rebuild was certainly needed for the Saints, who haven’t reached the playoffs since 2020 when Drew Brees and Sean Payton were still in the Big Easy.
Insert new head man, Kellen Moore, and New Orleans fans perhaps have something to cheer for.
The former Eagles offense coordinator is fresh off leading Philadelphia to a statement Super Bowl LIX victory over the two-time defending champion Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes, 40-22 in New Orleans.
Saquon Barkley took the league by storm with an NFL-record 2,504 rushing yards in a single season (regular season and postseason combined), winning the Offensive Player of the Year.
Saints fans are hoping an aging Alvin Kamara (30) can benefit from a fresh playcaller such as Moore, who mirrors Sean Payton as a head coach who also calls plays.
Although Doug Nussmeier (LSU QB Garrett’s father) is the team’s offensive coordinator, Moore will undoubtedly be the one pulling the strings with help from the Eagles’ former quarterbacks coach.
Moore’s innovation, coupled with second-year quarterback Spencer Rattler and 2025 second-round draft pick Tyler Shough, provides New Orleans with two promising young signal callers to build for the future.
Kamara is still one of the top running backs in the game while Olave and Shaheed offer quality receiving options.
The offensive line should be much improved with C McCoy and RG Ruiz back healthy.
Having spent three of the past four first-round picks on offensive linemen – LG Trevor Penning (2022), RT Taliese Fuaga (2024) and Kelvin Banks (2025) – the Saints need a quick return on investment if they wish to compete with NFC South competitors this time around.
Brandin Cooks is back in New Orleans after eight years away from the city, looking to make an impact as the Saints’ WR3 behind Olave and Shaheed.
He was the Black and Gold’s first-round draft choice in 2014, where he enjoyed a fruitful three seasons as Brees’ primary target.
Juwan Johnson leads an injury-inflicted room, as veterans Hill and Foster Moreau’s timetables for return remain uncertain.
Defensively, New Orleans had a few notable changes during the offseason. Most noteworthy was safety stalwart Tyrann Mathieu announcing his retirement from the NFL after 12 years of unwavering service, with the final three in his beloved hometown.
First-year defensive coordinator Brandon Staley will have some pieces to play with this season, however, with veterans DE Cameron Jordan and LB Demario Davis spearheading the group.
DE Chase Young, DE Carl Granderson, DT Bryan Breese and NT Davon Godchaux round out a capable defensive line.
Godchaux is a former LSU Tiger standout who offers eight years of NFL experience to his resume, entering his first season back in the boot since his college days.
Fellow Louisianan S Justin Reid, younger brother of former LSU All-American safety Eric, also joins the Saints for his first year back in his home state.
The Dutchtown High product has a pair of Super Bowl rings to his name as a full-time starter for the Chiefs over the past three campaigns, appearing in three-straight world championships during that time.
Reid will be joined by free agent signing Justin Blackmon as the Saints’ safety pairing, accompanied in the secondary by corners Alontae Taylor and Kool-Aid McKinstry; Isaac Yiadom is expected to start at nickel.
LB Pete Werner creates one of the most experienced linebacking duos in the league with the criminally underrated Davis. The two have combined for a staggering 798 tackles in four seasons playing together since Werner was drafted by the Saints in 2021.
On special teams, K Blake Grupe retains placekicking duties while last year’s starting punter, Matthew Hayball, was surprisingly cut earlier this month.
Rookie P James Burnip appears to be in line to take Hayball’s vacant position. The Australian native started all four years of his college career at Alabama.
The speedy Shaheed will be New Orleans’ primary return man, backed by a strong resume in that department. He was a four-time FCS All-American at Weber State as a kick returner and earned a Pro-Bowl nod in 2023 as a return specialist.
The Saints endured a much-needed overhaul heading into the 2025 season. While there are many unknowns, it figures to be an exciting season under Moore in his head coaching debut.
Whether it’s Rattler or Shough who emerges as the established quarterback in New Orleans, best believe the Caesars Superdome will be rocking whether the Saints win or lose.