The last game Kellen Moore coached was in the Super Bowl as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator. The Birds stomped the Chiefs 40-22, and all of Philadelphia rejoiced in the win. But instead of returning to the Eagles in what looks like the early stages of a dynasty, Moore accepted a head coaching job with the New Orleans Saints. The 36-year-old coach has an impressive resume, but his work will be cut out for him as the Saints’ new head coach, especially now, since the unexpected news of their quarterback’s retirement.
Derek Carr experienced pain in his right shoulder in late March while ramping up his preparation for the 2025 season. Medical scans determined the 34-year-old sustained a labral tear and had significant degenerative changes to his rotator cuff, the Saints said in a statement. After considering surgery, which might have wiped out the entire 2025 campaign, Carr decided to retire, a move that no one saw coming. The was no guarantee he’d return to the level of strength and performance that he was accustomed to and decided to hang it up.
“Upon reflection of prayer, and in discussion with (my wife) Heather, I’ve decided to retire from the National Football League,” Carr said. “For more than 11 years, we have been incredibly blessed, and we are forever grateful and humbled by this experience. It’s difficult to find the right words to express our thanks to all the teammates, coaches, management, ownership, team officials and especially the fans who made this journey so special.”
What Are the Odds?
The New Orleans Saints’ odds to win the NFC South are currently 9 to 1, which doesn’t sound great, but stranger things have happened. Kellen Moore will have time to get things organized and try to build an offense around the players he has. The recent Super Bowl-winning OC has been known for his clever offensive schemes. If you’re thinking about signing up for an online casino to take advantage of these odds, do your research and take advantage of the first-time sign-up offers. My friend was able to get 70 spins without upfront payment recently. As we get closer and closer to the training camp, I can’t see the Saints’ odds getting better. You may be able to find 10 to 1 odds soon.
Who Starts Now?
Rookie quarterback Tyler Shough will compete with Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener for the starting job. There is also a chance the team could bring in another free agency veteran to compete.
Drafted 2nd Round (8th overall) 2025 Draft
Shough (pronounced “shuck”) is a pocket passer with a seven-year college career prompted by three consecutive years of injuries at Texas Tech. Shough will turn 26 in September and was in the same recruiting class as Trevor Lawrence and backed up Justin Herbert at Oregon. He’s a talented passer with a live arm who is capable of making pro throws, both intermediate and deep, but battles inconsistency. He plays with good field vision, using his eyes to hold defenders and set up his throwing windows. Shough is confident and accurate when protected, but will flinch when pressure mounts, leading to spotty decision-making and big sacks. His size and passing talent will be enticing, but durability and mobility concerns are impediments he will need to overcome.
I watched him play his full season with the Oregon Ducks before transferring to Texas Tech, and I wasn’t that impressed. However, he went on to have a great 2024 season with the Red Raiders.
Drafted 5th Round (150th overall) 2024 Draft
Rattler was supposed to be something special coming out of college, but it just didn’t materialize. He struggled last season on a very injury-plagued Saints team that didn’t win many games. However, Rattler completed 26 of 42 passes for 240 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions and rushed once for 11 yards in the Saints’ 27-19 loss to the Buccaneers on the year’s final game.
Drafted 4th Round (127th overall) 2023 Draft
Jake Haener will likely be the New Orleans Saints’ third-string quarterback, behind rookie Tyler Shough and Spencer Rattler. While Haener started games in 2024 due to Derek Carr’s injuries, he is not expected to be the primary starter in 2025
