It’s been an incredible 48 hours for Kellen Moore. Fresh off helping the Philadelphia Eagles defeat the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 59, Philly’s offensive coordinator accepted his first head-coaching gig.
On Tuesday afternoon, the New Orleans Saints hired Moore as the team’s next head coach. This had been in the works for a while, but New Orleans had to wait until the Eagles’ season was over before finalizing the move.
Let’s examine whether hiring Moore is the right decision for the Saints, his strengths and weaknesses as a coach, and how he’ll fit with the Saints’ personnel.
Why Did the Saints Hire Kellen Moore?
Moore’s name has been on the head coaching radar for quite some time now, and the more the rules shift toward the offensive side of the ball, it’s no wonder he received plenty of buzz. Not only did Moore throw for 14,667 yards during his time as a player at Boise State, but he led successful offenses in Dallas, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia as a coordinator.
He’s largely had the benefit of a franchise QB on his roster, but his ability to elevate those talents has been evident since he helped Dak Prescott up his yards per pass rate by 10.8% in his first season with the Cowboys.
His ingenuity has been showcased most in play-action situations. The game is moving toward rewarding those who succeed in these plays (the 49ers led in play-action passer rating last season on their way to winning the NFC, while the Eagles and Chiefs both ranked top-five in that regard a season ago before meeting in the Super Bowl), and Moore is continually improving:
- Cowboys (2019-22): 103.5 play-action passer rating
- Chargers (2023): 107.9 play-action passer rating
- Eagles (2024): 116.1 play-acton passer rating
Philadelphia ranked seventh in red zone trips per game this season, thanks in large part to a suppressed turnover rate. Under Moore’s watch this season, the Eagles had the fourth-lowest giveaway rate, a large reason why this team was able to dominate the postseason, unlike a season ago (when they ranked 30th in turnover rate).
Why Moore is a Good Fit For The Saints
Assuming that Derek Carr is the man under center for the Saints, Moore’s experience in creating a strong offensive environment is a large part as to why he has hired as this team is going nowhere without plus-play from under center given that Carr will count north of $50 million against the cap in each of the next two seasons.
Deep Pass Interception Rate
- Moore’s 2023 Chargers: 2.3% (fourth lowest)
- Moore’s 2024 Eagles: 2.4% (fifth lowest)
- Derek Carr: 6% or worse in three of the past four seasons
With Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed on this roster, splash plays are very much an option. While we’ve seen Carr thrive throwing the deep ball for the majority of the past five seasons (10th in completion percentage, sixth in touchdown rate, and fifth in yards per attempt), he has been a bit prone to turning the ball over in such spots.
Olave, specifically, could see his star take off with this hire. The Eagles had two top options at WR in 2024, but in Moore’s two years prior, the WR1 finished the season with more catches than any of his teammates had targets. Olave wasn’t healthy in his third season, but he’s one of seven players all-time to open their career with consecutive campaigns in which they averaged at least 12.5 yards a catch and hauled in 70 passes.
If Moore can cap the turnover rate while keeping Carr aggressive, the Saints have a good chance to rebound from their worst season since 2005, especially with some low-octane offenses on the books for 2025 (Patriots, Jets, Giants, Bears, and Titans).
Why Moore Could Struggle With The Saints
An offensive mind is great, but Moore will need to build out the defensive staff.
The Saints’ Defense+ grade was an 84.8 in 2023, the sixth-highest mark in the league, and they had the fifth-most games in which they allowed no more than 20 points from 2022-23. However, their grade crashed to 71.6 in 2024, which ranked 19th in the NFL.
They lacked defensive upside in 2024, posting a Defense+ grade north of 80 just three times (in Weeks 3, 11, and 14). They got there five times in 2023, all of which were victories.
The Eagles created pressure without having to blitz at the 11th-highest rate in 2024, while the Saints ranked 22nd in that regard — Moore will have to find a way to bring over some of that scheming if the Saints are to snap their current four-year playoff drought.
Hiring the right defensive coordinator will be crucial for Moore and the Saints.