After observing offseason practices and talking to a number of New Orleans Saints coaches, it’s clear that the Saints’ offense is going to feature some new elements in 2026. From head coach Kellen Moore’s media availability to individual conversations with the assistant coaches, here are some of the big changes worth expecting going into the upcoming season.
Under Center Runs
New Orleans lined up under center on just 41.7% of their run plays last year. Compare that to the Los Angeles Rams, who deployed 86.2% of their rushes under center as the top team in the NFL.
More under center runs would align the Saints with some of the more explosive rushing attacks in the NFL. The Rams, Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions were all teams that ran more than 79% of their ground game from this look in 2025 and are all among the best rushing teams in the league.
Outside the Tackle Runs
The Saints were mostly balanced in their rushing attack in regards to point of attack in 2025. They sent 46.9% of their rushes outside of the tackle, No. 22 in the NFL per Next Gen Stats. With the addition of explosive running back Travis Etienne Jr. (who ranked No. 10 in rushing yards gained outside of the tackle box in 2025) and athletic guard David Edwards, expect to see more runs outside of the tackles. However, Moore’s offensive hallmark is balance, meaning it won’t likely be an identity-changing shift.
Motion on Run Plays
New Orleans overwhelmingly threw out of plays with motion last year, per Next Gen Stats’ play tracking. The team used motion on 71% of its offensive plays and ranked No. 2 in the NFL in motion on passing plays while finishing only No. 13 in motion on rushing calls. The Saints are likely to look for a way to narrow that gap one way or another, following the theme of balance.
Multi-Tight End Sets
This is one that every NFL team is expected to embrace at some point or another. The Saints’ offseason additions of tight end Noah Fant and Oscar Delp help to further the expectations that New Orleans will be on the forefront of the league-wide shift. However, don’t expect Moore to stay married to the idea if the efficiency and production don’t match the commitment. The shift only makes sense if it actually betters the offense.
Moore showed during his 2024 Super Bowl run with the Philadelphia Eagles that he is willing to change course and adjust throughout a season. If any of these changes don’t yield the expected results, nothing will stop the team from making further adjustments in order to find the offensive success they’re pursuing.
