New Orleans Saints News & Rumors

Cowboys To Interview Kellen Moore For HC

10:30am: Moore is expected to interview virtually for the position Friday, ESPN.com’s Todd Archer tweets. The Cowboys will join the Jaguars and Saints in speaking with the experienced play-caller before the Eagles’ divisional-round Rams matchup.

9:56am: Now coaching a 14-3 Eagles team preparing for the divisional round, Kellen Moore has improved his stock from where it was after his one-and-done as Chargers OC. As could be expected, the veteran OC’s other former NFL employer has circled back to him.

In need of a head coach for the first time in five years, the Cowboys are interested in a potential Moore reunion. They have sent the Philadelphia play-caller an interview request, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo report. Moore previously spent four seasons as the Cowboys’ OC.

[RELATED: 2025 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker]

Moore, 36, has an extensive history in Dallas. The former Tony Romo and Dak Prescott backup transitioned to quarterbacks coach immediately upon retiring, landing that job while still in his 20s. The Cowboys thought so highly of Moore they bumped him to OC during Jason Garrett‘s final year and kept him aboard despite changing coaching staffs. Mike McCarthy turned to Moore as his play-caller for the first three years of his HC tenure, before the sides separated in 2023. Moore is now in play to replace his former boss.

Joining Leslie Frazier and Robert Saleh as confirmed candidates (along with Deion Sanders, who is lurking here), Moore brings six years of OC experience despite not yet being in his late 30s. He has been at the controls for Saquon Barkley‘s dominant season — one that likely would have produced the single-season rushing record had Nick Sirianni opted to play the All-Pro in Week 18 — and is one of the catalysts for the Eagles motoring to the NFC’s No. 2 seed after a 2023 collapse. The Eagles rank seventh in scoring offense.

The Saints and Jaguars have met with Moore during this year’s cycle. The Colts interviewed him in 2023. After the Cowboys’ 12-5 2021 campaign, four teams — the Broncos, Dolphins, Jags and Vikings — spoke with Moore, who came up as a name to watch for this Dallas vacancy hours after the team’s McCarthy dismissal. The Chargers also hired Moore as OC within hours of his 2023 split with McCarthy.

While Jalen Hurts has not progressed this season and Moore’s year-long Justin Herbert mentorship did not lead to substantial growth, he did plenty to elevate Prescott during his time in Dallas. Prescott broke through as a passer in 2019, throwing 30 touchdown passes and thus upping his extension price, and then compiled a 37-10 TD-INT ratio in his first season back from a fractured ankle. The 2019 Cowboys led the NFL in total offense, while the 2021 unit paced the league in scoring. It is fair to place Prescott’s 2022 regression (league-high 15 INTs) on Moore as well, but several teams have sought HC interviews with the former Boise State QB during his coaching run. This may be the most important one yet.

Moore’s Cowboys interview must be virtual, if it is to occur this week, and the Cowboys’ delayed decision on McCarthy will present a time crunch. Moore will meet with the Jags and Saints by Saturday, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes. If the Cowboys do not squeeze in a meeting before the Eagles’ divisional-round game, they would need to wait until the team is eliminated (or hold off until the Super Bowl bye week in the event Philly books another berth).

2025 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker

With the Cowboys and Mike McCarthy splitting up, seven teams have made coaching changes so far during this year’s cycle. Here are the candidates connected to each of the HC-needy franchises. If more teams make changes, they will be added to the list.

Updated 2-11-25 (11:40am CT)

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Mike McCarthy Fallout: Failed Negotiations, Cowboys Candidates, McCarthy Suitors

The Mike McCarthy era in Dallas finally came to an end today, as the team announced that they wouldn’t be re-signing their head coach. With McCarthy’s contract set to expire tomorrow, the two sides were reportedly negotiating the terms of a new deal. However, it sounds like true contract talks never took place.

[RELATED: Cowboys Considering Deion Sanders For Head Coaching Job]

In a statement, owner Jerry Jones clearly stated that he made the determination to move on from McCarthy before any contract talks could commence.

“Over the past week, Mike [McCarthy] and I had the opportunity to conduct a joint review of all aspects of the past season, our players and staff, and also spent considerable time discussing the road forward for the team,” Jones said (via Jon Machota of The Athletic). “These discussions were thorough and received an appropriate amount of time and depth to cover. Prior to reaching the point of contract negotiations, though, it became mutually clear that it would be better for each of us to head in a different direction.”

While Jones’ statement was pretty clear, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero slightly pushes back at the notion that the two sides never discussed a new contract. Pelissero somewhat points to semantics, noting that “contract negotiations” would signal a definitive exchange of proposals (vs. the informal “talks”). Either way, the reporter believes the two sides did indeed discuss a path forward but ultimately couldn’t agree on contract length.

It didn’t take long for the Cowboys to start preparing for their impending head coaching search. According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, the team’s decision makers took part in “inclusive hiring training” this afternoon, only hours after news broke of the McCarthy divorce. Soon, we’ll start hearing of some definitive candidates, but the rumor mill is already churning with potential names. Deion Sanders has already been linked to the Cowboys, and there are some initial rumblings surrounding other big names.

Predictably, the biggest name on the market will be connected to the offseason’s biggest vacancy. Sources told Jonathan Jones that Bill Belichick could be towards the top of the organization’s list of candidates, and sources also told the reporter that the iconic HC would have interest in the Dallas gig if it became available. While Belichick’s UNC contract includes a $10MM buyout, sources believe that penalty wouldn’t stop owners from pursuing the future Hall of Famer. Still, many reporters (including Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com) are skeptical that Jones would be willing to pay for a buyout…a relevant note in their potential pursuits of Belichick and Sanders.

Jonathan Jones also suggests that the Cowboys could look to the college ranks for another candidate: Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian. The long-time college coach has never held the HC role in the NFL, although he did have a stint as the Falcons offensive coordinator. Sarkisian would also require a buyout. Among current NFL coaches, two popular names are also expected to be on the team’s list of candidates. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport says Eagles OC Kellen Moore is a name to watch. Moore, of course, finished his playing career with the Cowboys before moving to the sideline, where he worked his way up from QBs coach to offensive coordinator.

The Cowboys will presumably also have interest in Lions Ben Johnson, but the team missed their window to interview the popular HC candidate. As Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz notes, the Cowboys will now have to wait until Detroit is knocked out of the playoffs until they can talk to Johnson about their vacancy. Fortunately, Jonathan Jones notes that Johnson shut down communication with teams following the first round of interviews, as the coordinator is now solely focused on Detroit’s playoff run. So, if the Cowboys do truly have interest in Johnson, it shouldn’t take a whole lot for the team to make up ground on their competition.

As for McCarthy, the veteran head coach has reportedly already scheduled an interview with the Bears, and NFL Network’s Jane Slater says Chicago’s interest is “very real.” ESPN’s Adam Schefter says the Saints are also expected to show interest in McCarthy; New Orleans was listed as a potential landing spot for the coach before his ouster in Dallas.

The rest of McCarthy’s staff is also free to speak with teams starting today, per Albert Breer of SI.com. Practically the entire Cowboys staff had expiring contracts, and Slater notes that there were some assistants who grew tired of the lack of uncertainty over their futures. It sounds like that includes Mike Zimmer, as the defensive coordinator has contemplated retirement, per ESPN’s Jeff Darlington. Zimmer just joined the Cowboys last offseason, and it was believed that his status with the organization would be tied to McCarthy’s status.

Mickey Loomis: Saints’ Next HC Will Help Shape Direction At QB

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.

Browns Interview Saints’ Klint Kubiak For OC

The Browns are interviewing Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak for the same position on Monday, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.

Kubiak has a history with Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski. The two overlapped on the Vikings’ offensive coaching staff in 2013 and 2014. Kubiak was an offensive quality control coach, while Stefanski was the assistant quarterbacks coach one season and tight ends coach the next.

Stefanski has hired a former Vikings colleague before. His first defensive coordinator in Cleveland was Joe Woods, who arrived in Minnesota as the defensive backs coach in 2006, the same year Stefanski was hired as an assistant to then-head coach Brad Childress.

Kubiak is also scheduled to meet with the Seahawks for their OC job on Tuesday, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. He is still under contract with the Saints, but the team granted both interview requests amid their own search for a new head coach. Their list of candidates includes five current offensive coordinators. If one of them gets the job, Kubiak could lose his play-calling duties or be replaced altogether.

The Saints were one of the hottest offenses in the league to start the season with 91 points in their first two games. Injuries to key players hinder the rest of their season; Derek Carr, Chris Olave, Alvin Kamara, Rashid Shaheed, Erik McCoy, and Taysom Hill all missed significant time.

Kubiak would face a tough task ahead of him in Cleveland. The Browns offense finished with the fewest points, second-fewest yards per play, and most turnovers in the NFL in 2024 as they cycled through four different quarterbacks and struggled to stay healthy along the offensive line.

Kubiak’s first order of business would be working with Stefanski and Browns general manager Andrew Berry to decide on the team’s next starting quarterback. Deshaun Watson may miss the entire 2025 season after re-tearing his Achilles, Jameis Winston is set to hit free agency this spring, and neither Dorian Thompson-Robinson nor Bailey Zappe have showed they can be a long-term starter in the NFL.

Winston has expressed a desire to return to Cleveland, and the Browns also have the second overall pick in the draft. They could pair the familiar veteran with a top rookie prospect to start rebuilding after the disastrous trade for Watson in 2022.

Jets, Saints Remain Top Suitors For Lions DC Aaron Glenn

To no surprise, Aaron Glenn is among the most popular candidates in this year’s head coaching cycle. With the top-seeded Lions on the bye this week, the team’s defensive coordinator was busy taking interviews with each of his numerous suitors.

[RELATED: Head Coaching Search Tracker]

Glenn spoke with five teams in recent days, taking every interview with an interested party except for the Patriots. New England has since become the first team to fill its HC vacancy, making the expected move of hiring Mike Vrabel. Now that the first domino has fallen, Glenn’s name in particular will be worth watching closely.

The 52-year-old “crushed” each of his interviews, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports (video link). As a result, Glenn could very well find himself involved in follow-up meetings with at least a few teams as their searches heat up. To no surprise, Jones notes the Jets and Saints remain potential landing spots provided Glenn does indeed land a head coaching position for the first time in his career.

During the course of his 15-year tenure as a player, Glenn spent eight seasons in New York. It was with the Jets that he earned two of his three Pro Bowl nods, and his success on the field (not to mention the degree to which his stock as a coaching candidate has increased in recent years) helped make him one of the team’s first recipients of an interview request. Indeed, ESPN’s Dan Graziano writes the three names mentioned most frequently in connection to the Jets are Glenn, Vrabel and Vikings DC Brian Flores.

Having moved on from Robert Saleh after three-plus seasons, the Jets are a candidate to change approaches on the sidelines by looking to a coach with an offensive background. Graziano’s colleague Rich Cimini notes some observers agree that is the route the team will take, although others point to Glenn as the “best fit” for their current vacancy. He has been an NFL staffer since 2014, including four years in his current post as the leader of Detroit’s defense.

Of course, Glenn’s first coordinator gig was preceded by a five-year run in the Saints’ organization. He worked as New Orleans’ defensive backs coach during that span, and a return to the city to replace Dennis Allen remains a possibility to watch for. A recent report suggest Glenn could be the leading candidate for the Saints, one of the teams which has kept an eye out for the potential of Mike McCarthy reaching the open market.

McCarthy and the Cowboys are negotiating a new deal, though, and it remains to be seen if his existing contract will expire without a new agreement being in place (or at least imminent). Provide McCarthy winds up being unavailable, the Saints could move quickly in arranging a second interview with Glenn. The Jets will also be worth watching on that front.

Jayden Daniels’ Presence Could Dissuade Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury From Taking HC Job

Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury is once again a prominent name in head coaching rumors, thanks in large part to the work he has done with Washington’s rookie phenom, Jayden Daniels. The presence of the young passer could compel Kingsbury to remain in the nation’s capital and to eschew possible HC opportunities.

When asked earlier this month if he was ready to field questions related to his head coaching candidacy, Kingsbury smiled and said, “it would take a lot to leave this kid” (via ESPN’s John Keim). Of course, the “kid” in question is Daniels, who was effusive in his praise for his OC.

He’s meant a lot, obviously, for my development and my growth from the day I stepped foot here to this point now,” Daniels said. “Just to be able to see and get to learn the type of person Kliff is on and off the field, it’s only helped our relationship grow.”

Keim’s expansive piece is well-worth a read for Commanders fans in particular, and in it, Kingsbury offers a few candid remarks as to why his first head coaching job with the Cardinals went south. He also says that working under Washington HC Dan Quinn has driven home the lessons he learned from his struggles in the desert.

“I don’t think I set the foundation [in Arizona] the way I would do it after watching [Quinn] and how he set the foundation from day one,” Kingsbury said. “These are the standards, this is what we want, this is what we’re going to be. I definitely could have done a better job of that.”

Following his Arizona ouster, Kingsbury travelled for several months and realized that, despite the struggles he endured at the end of his Cardinals tenure, he wanted to return to football. He served as a senior offensive analyst at the college level for USC in 2023 before accepting the Commanders’ OC gig this past offseason.

As Keim observes, Kingsbury’s role allows him to focus on running an offense and building a relationship with players, which are the aspects of the coaching profession that he enjoys the most. And the success that he and the club have had in the first year of the Daniels era – Washington posted a 12-5 record and qualified for the postseason – have led some to wonder whether he would want to dive back into the head coaching ranks so soon.

Indeed, reports from earlier this month suggested that, while Kingsbury does want to be a head coach again at some point, he may not be in a rush to leave his current position. And subsequent reporting noted that HC-needy clubs were gauging just how much interest Kingsbury has in accepting a new top job in this year’s cycle.

The Bears and Saints nonetheless submitted interview requests for Kingsbury, who has reportedly received interest from at least two other clubs. Per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Kingsbury will move forward with the Chicago and New Orleans interviews this week (video link).

The Chicago post in particular has been rumored as a logical one for Kingsbury, as his one season at USC doubled as Caleb Williams’ final year at the school, and the two built a solid relationship during that time. Naturally, one of the Bears’ top priorities moving forward will be coaxing high-end production out of Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft.

Even if the Bears, Saints, or some other team were to extend an offer, it is far from certain that Kingsbury would accept it. Like Lions OC Ben Johnson, whose performance over his time in Detroit has allowed him to be highly selective as to if and when he accepts an HC offer, Kingsbury is in a comfortable situation that has allowed him to rebuild his stock in a short amount of time. With Daniels looking every bit like the franchise passer Washington has sought for so long, the 45-year-old coach seemingly feels no pressure to leave his young protégé.

2025 NFL Cap Carryover, By Team

With the regular season in the books, all NFL teams have declared their cap carryover for the 2025 league year. Unused cap space from the current campaign will roll over, a substantial element of many teams’ financial planning.

Last offseason saw a record-breaking jump in the salary cap ceiling (pushing the upper limit to $255.4MM). To no surprise, another spike is expected but a smaller year-to-year increase is likely to take place. It was learned last month that teams are preparing for the 2025 cap to check in at a figure between $265MM-$275MM.

As teams evaluate key roster-building decisions – including restructures and cuts aimed at manufacturing cap space – carryovers are crucial. It it still not known what exactly the cap ceiling will wind up as, but in the meantime every club’s space which has been rolled over will add a degree of clarity with respect to how their offseason will take shape. Several teams (including the top two on this year’s list) have made a concerted effort in recent years to carry unused space through the course of a campaign knowing a spike in cap charges for core players are forthcoming.

Courtesy of Over the Cap, here is the full breakdown of each team’s 2025 cap carryover amount:

  • San Francisco 49ers: $50.01MM
  • Cleveland Browns: $41.95MM
  • New England Patriots: $34.86MM
  • Las Vegas Raiders: $33.57MM
  • Detroit Lions: $23.73MM
  • Washington Commanders: $19.83MM
  • Dallas Cowboys: $18.84MM
  • Jacksonville Jaguars: $15.89MM
  • Green Bay Packers: $15.11MM
  • Tennessee Titans: $14.72MM
  • Arizona Cardinals: $11.38MM
  • Indianapolis Colts: $10.1MM
  • Seattle Seahawks: $8.42MM
  • Pittsburgh Steelers: $6.83MM
  • Philadelphia Eagles: $6.81MM
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $6.63MM
  • Atlanta Falcons: $6.07MM
  • Minnesota Vikings: $5.94MM
  • Cincinnati Bengals: $5.94MM
  • Chicago Bears: $5.08MM
  • Los Angeles Chargers: $4.89MM
  • Houston Texans: $4.81MM
  • Kansas City Chiefs: $3.15MM
  • Miami Dolphins: $3MM
  • New Orleans Saints: $2.93MM
  • Los Angeles Rams: $2.75MM
  • Baltimore Ravens: $2.14MM
  • Denver Broncos: $1.91MM
  • Buffalo Bills: $1.34MM
  • New York Giants: $1.17MM
  • Carolina Panthers: $490K
  • New York Jets: $346K

Seahawks Request OC Interview With Saints’ Klint Kubiak

The Seahawks quickly kicked off their search for a new offensive coordinator, as the team has already set up interviews with Thomas Brown and Hank Fraley. We’ve got another candidate for the job, as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that the Seahawks have requested permission to interview Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak for the same role.

Kubiak joined New Orleans’ staff last offseason and had to endure a season where the Saints turned to three different starting QBs. Derek Carr went 5-5 as a starter and tossed 15 touchdowns vs. five interceptions, but the team was otherwise winless with Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener under center. Further, Alvin Kamara was the only player to top 600 yards from scrimmage (the RB finished with 1,493). Still, the Saints offense was more middle-of-the-road than bottom-of-the-pack, solidifying Kubiak’s place as one of the more intriguing offensive minds in the game. Fowler notes that beyond Seattle, Kubiak could be an option for the Browns offensive coordinator vacancy.

The son of Gary Kubiak, Klint got his NFL coaching start working under his father in Denver. When Gary was named assistant head coach in Minnesota, Klint caught on as the team’s QBs coach, and he succeeded his dad as offensive coordinator in 2021. The Vikings cleared house following Mike Zimmer‘s firing, and Klint landed back in Denver, where he spent a year as the passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach. Following that one-year stop, he worked as Kyle Shanahan‘s passing game coordinator in San Francisco.

While this would represent a lateral move for Kubiak, Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald believes the Seattle gig is plenty enticing. Macdonald recently touted the opening, highlighting the team’s list of young offensive players. While the organization doesn’t currently have a long-term plan at QB, they’re positioned to bring back a steady veteran in Geno Smith.

The Seahawks made Ryan Grubb a one-and-done OC, with the team’s drop in rushing efficiency reportedly playing a role in his demise. After poaching Grubb from Alabama’s staff, it’s been thought that Macdonald may pivot to a more experienced option to help guide the offense in 2025.

Mike McCarthy Connected To Saints’ HC Job; Aaron Glenn Holding Early Lead?

Mike McCarthy resides in the unique position of being under contract for a team at season’s end but not tied to that club for the ensuing season. The Cowboys constructed his deal to expire Jan. 14. Not giving their five-year HC an extension despite three straight 12-win seasons, the Cowboys have five days to extend him.

The sides are still talking, and a decent chance exists McCarthy is back in Dallas on a second contract. But that is not a lock. The Bears attempted to test the Cowboys on this front by sending a McCarthy interview request; Dallas blocked it. The NFC East team will not be able to block any such overtures after Tuesday; no deal being done by then would send McCarthy to the market and create one of the more interesting scenarios we have seen on a coaching carousel.

If McCarthy reaches the market, the Saints could emerge as an option. While the Bears would conceivably be back in play, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler indicates McCarthy could have some interest in the New Orleans position. McCarthy has a past with the organization, having been the Saints’ offensive coordinator from 2000-04.

That marked McCarthy’s first OC job, and it started off well. Despite losing starter Jeff Blake to injury during the 2000 season, the Saints rallied to the playoffs behind second-year QB Aaron Brooks. The team then notched its elusive first playoff win, over the defending champion Rams. New Orleans, however, did not make the playoffs again during Jim Haslett‘s tenure. The Saints did still rank in the top 14 offensively in each McCarthy season. By 2005, McCarthy was in San Francisco as 49ers OC, using that perch to land the Packers’ HC job in 2006.

The GM during part of McCarthy’s Saints stint remains, and Mickey Loomis has been connected to prioritizing familiarity. Aaron Glenn came up as a candidate last month, and he joins fellow ex-Saints assistant Joe Brady on the team’s interview list. This McCarthy tie also follows a report that had the Saints content with their current list of candidates. McCarthy, 61, could certainly be added if his Cowboys contract expires without a new deal in place.

Going into the first round of interviews, though, Fowler adds that Glenn may have the early lead. It would not be surprising to see the four-year Lions DC land this job. He was a candidate in 2022 despite the Lions having finished 3-13-1 in ’21. Glenn coached the Saints’ DBs for five seasons under Sean Payton, working under Loomis, who is running this search.

The Lions have also become one of the league’s premier success stories in recent memory, completing a rebuild that has since produced 13-4 and 15-2 records. Glenn’s defense also closed the regular season with a statement, holding the high-octane Vikings attack to nine points despite missing a few key cogs.

Glenn, 52, is set to meet with four other teams — the Bears, Jaguars, Jets and Raiders — between now and Saturday. His Saints virtual interview is scheduled for Friday. More updates will emerge in connection with the New Orleans job, but given Glenn’s ties to the team and his decision to decline a Patriots interview request, the veteran assistant may be close to nailing down a job after a few years of trying.

Courtesy of PFR’s Head Coaching Search Tracker, here is how the Saints’ HC search looks: