JACKSON: Saints rebuilding process will take time

By Ross Jackson

After a stellar performance by the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX, the New Orleans Saints are now quickly in focus. The team is expected to fill its head coaching vacancy, the final remaining opening of this year’s cycle, by hiring Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore in the coming days. 

The hire has been rumored for some time but was only eligible to be made official following the conclusion of the championship game. 

Hiring the team’s next head coach is a huge step for New Orleans. Now, there are still several steps necessary in order to return to contender status. 

The Saints should now embrace their rebuild potential. With a head coach in place, the team still has no solidified future quarterback. 

While a young passer like Spencer Rattler packs a lot of potential and promise, most evaluations are still considered incomplete. While veteran quarterback Derek Carr has a slight winning record as the Saints’ starter (14-13), entering his age-34 season leaves little room for “quarterback of the future” discussions.

Beyond quarterback, the Saints lack the weapons on both sides of the ball that Philadelphia showcased on the NFL’s biggest stage in their 40-22 dismantling of the otherwise dynastic Kansas City Chiefs.

But also, that’s okay. 

It’s to be expected that a team hiring a new head coach after firing their previous one midseason isn’t necessarily a finished product. 

That’s kind of the point.

At one time, the Philadelphia Eagles did not have a franchise quarterback in place, nor the league’s best offensive line blocking for a generational running back. At one time the Eagles did not have an elite defensive unit led by one of the best defensive coordinators in the NFL. The idea is to build. 

New Orleans has chosen to build by starting up a familiar and proven formula. The team is set to hire a young, innovative offensive mind whose vision will shape the future of the organization. Whether or not that future is successful may take a few years to find out, but this is where the team will start. 

Next, Moore will build out his staff, decide the team’s short-term future at quarterback, and begin his first offseason as a head coach. 

A year later, that staff may see tweaks. The quarterback position may change again as the plans transition from short-term to long-term and the team will be faced with new challenges, like ongoing attrition. 

The new process is set to begin soon, but patience will be needed as it continues. An about-face in 2025 is unlikely, but steady progress over the next few years should be demonstrable.