BIG CHANGES EXPECTED: Saints Linked To ‘Five-Tool’ 1,212-Yard Big-Name Wide Receiver as HC Kellen Moore Shakes up Squad

The New Orleans Saints currently are slated to make their first selection in the upcoming National Football League Draft in April at No. 9.

New Orleans finished in last place in the NFC South at 5-12 last year. The Saints had a promising start to the campaign but injuries derailed the campaign. New Orleans now has Kellen Moore as the team’s new head coach and the team will be able to make add some high-end talent at No. 9 unless they make a trade.

But, who should they take? Pro Football Focus shared a mock draft simulator with every team’s most picked prospects and had Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III as the top fit for New Orleans.

“New Orleans Saints: WR Luther Burden III, Missouri,” Pro Football Focus said. “Burden is an ideal ‘five-tool,’ multi-sport athlete for the receiver position in the NFL. The first-round talent is as well-rounded as they come, with the ability to succeed at any receiver spot in any offense.”

Burden would be a dynamic pick-up for the Saints if he was available at No. 9. He racked up 1,212 receiving yards in 2023. He had 86 catches in just 13 games to go along with nine touchdown receptions. In 2024, he had 61 receptions in 12 games to go along with 676 receiving yards and six touchdowns.

The Saints could use another receiver this offseason and Burden would be a fantastic pickup. Hopefully, the Saints can bring him to town in the upcoming NFL Draft.

CONFIRMED: New Orleans Saint will release $150 million star and NOT TRADE HIM with Perfect Replacement Spotted

Quarterback Derek Carr may have played his last snap with the New Orleans Saints, as one prominent reporter believes the team will release him if they cannot find a trade partner. A second-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, Carr spent nine years with the Raiders before joining the Saints before the 2023 season. At the time, General Manager Mickey Loomis believed Carr could elevate the roster and bring the team back to the playoffs for the first time since Drew Brees called it a career.

Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, as New Orleans missed the postseason in each of the past two seasons. While Carr wasn’t the biggest issue with either iteration of the Saints, he wasn’t good enough to justify his four-year, $150 million contract. The quarterback previously said he won’t take a pay cut, and the Saints are currently $47.1 million over the 2025 salary cap. NFL.com’s Matt Okada believes the Saints will release Derek Carr if they can’t find a trade partner, but acknowledges there could be some difficulties with that decision.

” Designating [Carr] as a post-June 1st cut nets $30 million in savings, with “only” $21.5 million in dead money, which is more manageable – then again, each team can only give that designation to two player per year and, like Carr, the Saints carrying the next highest cap charges (Cameron Jordan and Taysom Hill) would have to be designated post-June 1 cuts to generate meaningful savings in 2025.’

Also Read: Saints GM Mickey Loomis sends Shocking Message to HC Kellen Moore concerning QB Derek Carr’s future at the New Orleans Saint

NFL Network: Saints Could Release Derek Carr If No Trade Partner Emerges

The Saints have kicked the can down the road with an endless series of contract restructures and don’t have an easy way to dig themselves out of their current financial predicament. On paper, the Saints could release Derek Carr and save some cap space, but that would mean keeping either Cameron Jordan or Taysom Hill. Carr isn’t playing up to his contract, but he’s a much better player than Jordan and Hill. Perhaps the Saints will restructure Carr’s deal again or just accept a massive cap hit, but they’ll probably try to trade him.

Okada’s article adds New Orleans could save $11.3 million in cap space if they can trade Derek Carr. The veteran quarterback isn’t an elite player by any stretch of the imagination, but he is a reliable starter who could be an upgrade for a few franchises. Last year, Carr finished 14th in EPA/play and seventh in PFF grade despite playing in a subpar environment. Seeing as it’s a weak quarterback draft class, the following teams could send a late-round pick for his services.

Next Possible Destinations

The Pittsburgh Steelers need a quarterback in the worst way. Russell Wilson and Justin Fields are free agents, and neither quarterback was good enough to turn this team into a legitimate contender in 2024. Steelers fans won’t be thrilled with the idea of going after another veteran, but given the team’s late draft capital and the weak quarterback class, Carr is probably the best option available. Even if he’s not good enough to win a Super Bowl, he should help the team get their first playoff win since 2016.

The New York Giants find themselves in a similar quarterback purgatory. The Daniel Jones Era is officially over, but Brian Daboll’s squad lacks an adequate Plan B. Perhaps Miami’s Cam Ward falls to the third-overall pick, but even if the Giants can get him, Daboll might not want to risk his job on an untested rookie. Derek Carr might not be the second coming of Tom Brady, but he should perform reasonably well with Malik Nabers if the Saints release or trade him.

HE IS UNTOUCHABLE HERE : Saints GM Mickey Loomis sends Shocking Message to HC Kellen Moore concerning QB Derek Carr’s future at the New Orleans Saint

The New Orleans Saints knew this would be an offseason filled with several major decisions, and the franchise got things started by deciding to hire Kellen Moore as the team’s next head coach. The offensive-minded coach came to New Orleans fresh off a Super Bowl victory with the Philadelphia Eagles, and joined in on the decision making process with the franchise.

New Orleans Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis addressed a host of topics during a 40-plus minute news conference Monday, to cap the 2024 season and answer general questions.

CONFIDENCE IN DEREK CARR

Loomis said he likes all three Saints quarterbacks on the roster, and said he has a “high level” of confidence in starter Derek Carr – who missed seven games due to various injuries. The Saints were 5-5 when Carr started and 0-7 when either Spencer Rattler or Jake Haener started.

“He did some really good things here, and has done some really good things here,” Loomis said. “If he had qualified, which I’m not sure that he did, his quarterback rating would be in the top 10, his interception rating would be in the top 10, his yards per attempt would be in the top 10 under some really tough circumstances.

“When you don’t have your top two receivers, and you don’t have that special weapon in Taysom Hill, and we don’t have the middle portion of our offensive line, and we have a rookie left tackle – there are some tough circumstances for a quarterback to have to deal with. So I think he’s done some really good things.”

CAP TALK
“I’m pretty comfortable with where we’re at (salary cap wise),” Loomis said. “I’m comfortably uncomfortable. It’s something we have to manage, and there’s a lot of teams that have to manage their cap that way. And some of the ones that don’t are going to have to at some point.

“I feel OK with where we’re at. I think we’re making progress from where we’ve been the last few years. So I’m feeling better about it.”

STAYING PUT AT SAINT
The 68-year-old Loomis said he has no intention or interest in retirement at present.

“I’ve got a passion for the sport, I’ve got a passion for the Saints, I’ve got a passion for all of it,” he said. “I feel like I’ve got all my faculties here. Nobody would ask me that question…if I wasn’t 68 they wouldn’t ask me the question.

“If I ever felt like my acumen or my ability to think and ability to do the things necessary in this job were waning, I’d be the first guy to say, ‘Hey, wait a minute.’ So, no, retirement is not on my mind. Getting back to the playoffs and winning football, that’s what’s on my mind.”

NOLA LOVE

He also expressed his appreciation of New Orleans and the passion that the Saints evoke.

“I have a love for the community, a love for New Orleans,” he said. “Wasn’t originally from here, but I like to tell people I’m from here now.

“I know how much the success of our team impacts our city. So I take it personal when we’re not successful. I think all of our guys take it personal. Being in New Orleans it kind of gets into your blood, it gets into your soul and so, not having a successful season is painful.

“I’m as determined as ever to, let’s get us back in the playoffs, let’s get us back on the right track here. And I think we can do it. I know I can do it. I know we can. It’s not a matter of ‘if.’ It’s, I know we can do it.”

CAMP TALK
No decision has been made as to where training camp will be held in 2025, though Loomis said he believes it will occur at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center in Metairie.

“I’d say it’s likely that we’re going to have training camp here, but a decision hasn’t been made yet,” he said.

CONFIRMED: “NOT TYSOM HILLS” Saints Star set to Depart with Philadelphia Eagles as Next Destination in a $70 million deal

The Philadelphia Eagles may need to add a pass rusher or two this offseason.

With Zack Baun, Milton Williams, and Josh Sweat all heading to free agency, it seems like a near given that the Eagles will another EDGE if they can’t bring all three back.

There are going to be some pretty great options available in free agency starting in March and USA Today’s Jacob Camenker called the Eagles the top landing spot for New Orleans Saints 25-year-old Chase Young.

“If the Eagles lose Josh Sweat in free agency, they may take a swing on a high-upside player like Young, who will only be 26 during the 2025 NFL season. Young hasn’t yet developed into a double-digit sack artist as many expected after his Defensive Rookie of the Year campaign in 2020, but he had 66 pressures with the Saints last season (seventh-most at his position, per PFF).”

Young is a former Pro Bowler and was the 2020 National Football League Defensive Rookie of the Year. He’s still young and is projected to land a four-year deal worth over $70 million by Spotrac.

The Eagles’ defense is going to likely take a hit this offseason, but adding someone like Young to Vic Fangio’s system could be a great way to keep the defense as one of the best in football in 2025.

This would be a great move if Philadelphia were to lose someone like Sweat. Should the Eagles go after Young?

AGREED: Gayle Benson and HC Kellen Moore takes final decision as Saints’ Derek Carr will be ‘First Domino’ To Fall For New Orleans

The New Orleans Saints have one of the better quarterbacks in the National Football League right now.

Derek Carr is a four-time Pro Bowler and is under contract for two more years. If the cap wasn’t a thing, there wouldn’t be much of a reason to move on from Carr. He’s been great over the last two years in New Orleans when he has been healthy.

The Saints star only played in 10 games in 2024, though. His cap hit currently is expected to be over $51 million in 2025 and over $61 million in 2026 barring a restructureing trade, or cut. It’s unclear what the team will do, but Pro Football Focus’ Mason Cameron suggested that he could be the “first domino” to fall for New Orleans this offseason.

“No. 14. QB Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints,” Cameron said. “The Saints find themselves in a difficult cap situation, and maintaining the roster as currently constructed is untenable. Carr’s significant contract may be the first domino to fall, as he has been linked as a possible trade target for various quarterback-needy teams. Despite dealing with a pair of injuries that limited him to just 10 starts in 2024, Carr was excellent when on the field, earning the fifth-highest PFF passing grade (86.7) among qualifying passers.

“The difficulty comes in the form of Carr’s no-trade clause, which could potentially result in a post-June 1 cut for the veteran quarterback.”

This makes sense. The Saints have a lot of decisions to make this offseason but they seem to be all contingent on what the team does with Carr.