Uncertainty looms over the Saints’ direction at the quarterback position for 2025. The same is true on the sidelines since a new head coach has yet to be hired. Both situations, to no surprise, are linked. 
During a Monday press conference, general manager Mickey Loomis made it clear no final decision has been made at this point with the respect to how the team will proceed under center. He added (via Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football) New Orleans’ next head coach will have a large say in whether or not Derek Carr will remain uncontested atop the depth chart or other options will be brought in. For his part, though, Loomis praised the veteran signal-caller.
“I have a high level of confidence in Derek,” Loomis said (via Underhill). ” He’s done some really good things here.”
Carr is currently on track to collect $30MM in base salary for 2025. $10MM of that figure is already locked in, and the remainder will become guaranteed in full in mid-March unless any adjustments are made. The four-time Pro Bowler recently made it clear he will not accept a pay cut, so a decision on a restructure (something the Saints, as usual, will need to rely on to achieve cap compliance this spring) or a trade or release will need to be made fairly soon.
In the meantime, New Orleans’ head coaching search continues. The team has already conducted several interviews, and few other candidates (with the potential exception of Mike McCarthy, who will not return with the Cowboys) are likely to receive attention. For now, Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn looks to be the leading contender for the gig. He served as the Saints’ defensive backs coach for five seasons, and a return to his former team remains a distinct possibility.
After New Orleans elected to move on from Dennis Allen midseason, special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi was promoted to interim HC. Shifting to a coach with an offensive background could take place with an eye on maximizing Carr’s remaining play as he approaches his age-34 season. In any case, changes elsewhere on the staff could take place once a new head coaching hire is made, as evidenced by the fact offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak is taking interviews with other teams for the same role.
Neither Spencer Rattler nor Jake Haener showed enough late in the season to suggest they could be take over QB1 duties in the event the Saints were to move on from Carr, but it remains to be seen how the team’s next head coach will perceive the situation under center.
Whomever that QB is, he’ll need more than just a new coach to succeed. Rattler didn’t have much to work with, especially as a fifth round rookie who was exchanged briefly for Haener. Carr being an established veteran could compensate for some of that, but it was apparent (and has been for some time) that the Saints have been quite short on receiving help for some time.
Olave has been their best receiver, and he doesn’t really have the size to be a number one (as evidenced by his now concerning concussion history, as much as it feels unfortunate to say). The line has slowly deteriorated as well, and Kamara won’t be able to sustain his excellence forever. The offense just isn’t good. I’ve never really been impressed with Allen’s play calling-I thought that the Saints’ defense actually could have been better with the talent over the years-but it also lost a few playmakers to age or departure and can’t be relied on to buoy a young QB or slow offense at the current moment.
I do see the advantage in selecting an offensive mind to groom a QB, and Carr can still be a trustworthy option to run the offense, but the Saints are really going to need to pump a lot into that side of the ball to enable that new passer (or one of their young ones). The QBs this year don’t seem much better than what they’ve got-if I’m New Orleans, I’m looking at how I can best set up my QB for the future right now, not necessarily looking to find him in the draft this year.
As usual, you are spot on with your assessment. I agree 100% with what you are saying. I’ll even throw this in: as much as I think Aaron Glenn will be a good HC, I’m not sure I want to see him return to NOLA. He still represents a slice of the “Payton-Brees” Era and I would like to see if the Saints can give the new guy time to build, and put his stamp on the team. Unless Loomis intends on a soft rebuild, I’m thinking now that a bridge coach will be in play, unless McCarthy being available now completely sends him into “full steam ahead” mode. As bad as the offense has with no playmakers, except Kamara and possibly Hill, the defense is old and unathletic, and in need of upgrades everywhere.
I hope they continue to start Carr while trying to bolster the WR core. They do desperately need size and strength there. It isn’t the deepest draft class at WR, but with luck they can draft a big body at the position and also pick one up in free agency.
On the flip side, I’d actually be okay if they retained Kubiak and hired Glenn, or any excellent defensive HC. With a healthy Carr, they were 5-5. They started strong with that system too until injuries decimated the offense. I’d like to see what a year 2 would look like though with a stronger WR group, and possibly another good TE.
The next HC should get the opportunity give Loomis a tune up if he continues to mortgage the future. The next HC should also have poison pill protection against firing while Loomis fixes his mess.