2025 NFL Offseason Primer: New Orleans Saints

New Orleans Saints

Projected Cap Space: -$52.6 million

Draft Picks: 8

• 1st (No. 9)
• 2nd (No. 40)
• 3rd (No. 71)
• 3rd (No. 93, WAS)
• 4th (No. 111)
• 4th (No. 130, WAS)
• 6th (No. 185)
• 7th (No. 254, comp)

Notable Free Agents: 

• DE Chase Young
• CB Paulson Adebo
• TE Juwan Johnson
• LB Willie Gay Jr.
• DE Payton Turner
• G Lucas Patrick
• S Will Harris
• WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling
• OT Landon Young
• C Shane Lemieux

Top Three Needs

1 – Quarterback

The first domino that will need to fall for the Saints to direct the course of where the franchise goes from here with new HC Kellen Moore is quarterback. Veteran Derek Carr is under contract with the Saints for two more years. He’s due $40 million in 2025, $50 million in 2026. Right now the only guarantees are a $10 million roster bonus in 2025 but on March 15, the remaining $30 million of his 2025 salary becomes guaranteed. 

If the Saints were run differently, it might be an easier decision to move on from Carr. It would save $30 million in cash and lower Carr’s 2025 cap hit by a million or so. However, by cutting Carr the Saints would lose the ability to create over $30 million in cap savings by restructuring his contract. It wouldn’t prevent them from getting under the salary cap but it would severely restrict their options with other players and likely signal a lean year. 

There’s also a pretty good chance whoever replaces Carr is worse, at least at first. Carr’s closer to average than bad and has had productive years when his supporting cast is strong. The Saints like backup QB Spencer Rattler as a developmental project but he showed last year he needs more seasoning, and there aren’t a lot of obvious solutions at quarterback available this offseason. If the Saints kept Carr, they would still have an out in his contract in 2026 plus significant financial flexibility even with adding $30 million to his dead money hit. 

We can guess what Saints GM Mickey Loomis would do based on the fact he signed Carr in the first place and added void years to his deal to accommodate planned restructures, including a year that’s currently empty but would facilitate a Carr restructure this offseason. It’s not clear what Moore would do or how much sway he has in the decision. Moore reportedly had initial reservations about Carr, but came around and ended up taking the job. He didn’t tip his hand at his introductory presser either. 

But with Carr’s guarantee coming up soon, this decision won’t drag on long. 

2 – Edge Rusher

The Saints still have to go through the interview process but the current favorite to be defensive coordinator under Moore is former Chargers HC Brandon Staley, who runs a variant of Eagles DC Vic Fangio‘s defense. That scheme is quite different than the defense the Saints have run for the past 10 years under former HC and DC Dennis Allen. The Saints were already facing significant turnover on defense due to expiring contracts and aging starters, and the scheme change will accelerate that. 

New Orleans has players on the interior of the defensive line who fit the mold Staley is looking for, but the edge rusher room needs an overhaul. Young was more disruptive than his 5.5 sacks suggest but he signed just a one-year deal and it’s not clear if the Saints will have the budget to afford to keep him. Saints DE Cameron Jordan turns 36 in July, has had just six sacks over the past two seasons, is scheduled to make $12.5 million in 2025 with just $1.5 million guaranteed and was not happy with how things played out in 2024. His time in New Orleans could be finished as well. 

The Saints have DE Carl Granderson under contract and he’s a starting-caliber player but after that it’s barren, with recent high draft picks like Turner and Isaiah Foskey not panning out. This position should be a major focus for the Saints, particularly with the success of Staley’s mentor’s defense in the Super Bowl played in their stadium. 

3 – Secondary

The secondary was actually a strength of the Saints’ defense last year but some attention will be needed to keep it that way even after using a second-round pick on CB Kool-Aid McKinstry last year. New Orleans was able to trade veteran CB Marshon Lattimore and keep on ticking but Adebo is on an expiring contract and starting CB Alontae Taylor is in a contract year. The Saints could keep the whole trio together but if not more starting help is needed. 

At safety, the Saints have veteran Tyrann Mathieu under contract and his deal still has some guarantees. However, they could use a long-term replacement, another starter next to him and better depth. 

One Big Question

Are the Saints finally embracing a rebuild?

For years and years, the Saints have been trying to keep things from changing as little as possible. At first, it was an effort to extend the Super Bowl window through the remaining years of QB Drew Brees‘ career. Then the Saints promoted from within to replace former HC Sean Payton, reasoning that keeping Allen would preserve the Saints’ strength on defense, while doubling and tripling down on a roster they still thought could contend even as it got older. 

A 5-12 season can’t happen without significant consequences, though. Allen was let go midseason over objections from Loomis, and the longtime GM ended up having to go outside the family for a head coaching hire, partially by choice, partially not. Change is coming to the Saints.

Now it’s just a question of whether they embrace it or fight it. Loomis has chalked up a lot of the failures of this past season to injuries and defended the talent level of the roster, but there also doesn’t seem to be an immediate mandate for Moore to win, indicating the Saints understand their roster needs time. The salary cap situation clears up tremendously after this season but there’s one more year where the Saints will have to dig out of a big hole. 

The Saints got where they are now because of an unwillingness to be truly honest with themselves about the state of the team. We’ll see if the outside perspective Moore brings starts to shake them free of that, and the decision with Carr will be the first barometer.