Last week, the New Orleans Saints handed the reins of their offense to rookie Tyler Shough, as head coach Kellen Moore confirmed the 26-year-old quarterback will start moving forward after a 1-7 start to the season.

Shough, the second-round pick (No. 40 overall) in the 2025 NFL Draft out of Louisville, replaces Spencer Rattler, who compiled 1,586 passing yards with eight touchdowns and five interceptions in eight starts this season.

Moore said, “I’m really excited about this opportunity for him. He has been preparing every week just as he would be if he were the starter; he is ready to go.”

Shough made his first significant appearance when he relieved Rattler in the third quarter of a 23-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He completed 17 of 30 passes for 128 yards and an interception. He acknowledged the new role, saying, “It was a good feeling, but we’ve got a lot of work to do.”

Offensive struggles prompted the switch: New Orleans has averaged just 16 points per game and has scored 14 or fewer this season. Moore emphasized that while the change is credited to Shough, the offense as a whole must raise its level.

Rattler will shift to a backup role and support Shough in his development. The Saints are betting that a fresh face at quarterback will spark an offense in need of consistency.

In Shough’s starting debut, head coach Kellen Moore said he saw “some positives” despite the team’s loss to the Rams, 30-10. “Certainly there were some positives in there,” Moore said. “Thought he handled himself well, and so we didn’t get enough opportunities to compete.”

The New Orleans Saints went 5-12 in the 2024 season, a year marked by numerous injuries. Starting quarterback Derek Carr suffered multiple injuries, missing seven games during the season. The Saints struggled for consistency on both offense and defense, boasting one of the worst rosters in the NFL. The nail in the coffin was when head coach Dennis Allen was fired in week nine of the season after losing seven games in a row. The season was terrible, and the Saints knew they would need to head in a new direction after yet another losing season.

The Saints started their offseason by hiring new head coach Kellen Moore, who had just won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles as their offensive coordinator. Moore played as a quarterback in college at Boise State University before playing in the NFL for the Cowboys and Lions, before transitioning to coaching. The other huge news of the offseason for the Saints was Carr’s retirement. Carr had only played two seasons with the Saints, but surprisingly retired at only the age of 34.

>GET DEALS ON NEW ORLEANS SAINTS TICKETS NOW!

New Orleans made lots of other signings in the offseason, like safety Justin Reid, wide receiver Brandin Cooks, center Will Clapp, cornerback Issac Yiadom and safety Julian Blackmon. The Saints also had some losses this offseason, including safety Tyrann Mathieu and tackle Ryan Ramczyk, who both retired. The Saints also lost cornerback Paulson Adebo, safety Will Harris, running back Jamal Williams and guard Lucas Patrick.

The Saints held the ninth overall pick in the NFL draft and selected offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. out of Texas to replace Ramczyk, who retired. The Saints also brought in the quarterback of the future, Tyler Shough, out of Louisville with the 40th overall pick. Shough will get an immediate chance to start after Carr’s retirement. The Saints also made some other notable draft additions like defensive tackle Vernon Broughton, safety Jonas Sanker and linebacker Danny Stutsman.

The Saints head into the 2025 season with numerous challenges under a new head coach and quarterback. They have the 31st most challenging schedule in the NFL, according to Fox Sports, giving them a good chance to gain some momentum during the year. In week one, the Saints host the Cardinals before playing their first divisional game in week eight vs the Buccaneers. The most anticipated games of the season will be vs the Buccaneers, 49ers, Bills, Rams and Seahawks.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS SCHEDULE & TICKET DEALS

• Week 1: Sept. 7 vs. Arizona Cardinals
• Week 2: Sept. 14 vs. San Francisco 49ers
• Week 3: Sept. 21 at Seattle Seahawks
• Week 4: Sept. 28 at Buffalo Bills
• Week 5: Oct. 5 vs. New York Giants
• Week 6: Oct. 12 vs. New England Patriots
• Week 7: Oct. 19 at Chicago Bears
• Week 8: Oct. 26 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Week 9: Nov. 2 at Los Angeles Rams
• Week 10: Nov. 9 at Carolina Panthers
• Week 11: Bye Week
• Week 12: Nov. 23 vs. Atlanta Falcons
• Week 13: Nov. 30 at Miami Dolphins
• Week 14: Dec. 7 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Week 15: Dec. 14 vs. Carolina Panthers
• Week 16: Dec. 21 vs. New York Jets
• Week 17: Dec. 28 at Tennessee Titans
• Week 18: Jan. 4 at Atlanta Falcons

New Orleans Saints Season/Game Odds

The Saints will have a lot to prove in 2025, having +40000 odds of winning the Super Bowl and +16000 odds of winning the NFC Championship. The Saints open the year as +5.5 underdogs vs the Cardinals at home in week one.

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Derek Carr announced his retirement on May 10, with the New Orleans Saints saying the quarterback had a labral tear and “significant degenerative changes to his rotator cuff.” His decision to retire ultimately came after he decided that he didn’t want to “just take” money from the organization.

Surgery was considered an option, but Carr told Front Office Sports that he ultimately didn’t feel right with either possibility.

“That part was tough because I didn’t want to have surgery and just sit there and – it sounds crazy but – just take the Saints’ money,” Carr told Front Office Sports. “I wouldn’t have been able to play if I had the surgery and then if I tried to play with it, I wasn’t near 100%, and so that doesn’t help either. I just felt like it was the right thing to do for myself and for the team.”

Carr signed a four-year, $150 million contract with the Saints in 2023. He forfeited his $30 million base salary for the 2025 season due to his retirement, although he did get to keep a $10 million roster bonus for 2025.

With Carr’s retirement, the Saints’ quarterback situation is uncertain. The Saints are currently holding a quarterback competition among second-round pick Tyler Shough, Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener. Even with Carr’s retirement, the Saints were prepared to be without him for some of the season, so they went through the draft process accordingly.

“He did everything he could,” Saints coach Kellen Moore said of Carr last month. “As he’s gone through this, he’s communicated extremely well. He’s worked really hard to put himself in position, and ultimately this was the outcome.”

Carr is enjoying life away from football as he gets to spend that time with his family.

“My agent literally texted me a few days ago and he said, ‘Hey, just checking in. How’s everything? You feel comfortable with the decision?’ And I sent him a picture of me on the beach with my two kids playing. And I said, “‘This beats an OTA any day.’ And he said, ‘Yeah, I thought so,'” Carr told Front Office Sports. “So I’m doing great and have thoroughly enjoyed being home.”

Derek Carr wasn’t in a Raiders uniform last season as he went to the New Orleans Saints during the offseason. Coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler were out the door following week eight’s loss to the Detroit Lions. Champ Kelly was named interim GM while Antonio Pierce was promoted to interim head coach – Pierce was hired full-time after a strong finish to 2023.

Highlights from 2023 include a 63-21 thrashing over the rival Chargers and a stunning Christmas Day win over the Chiefs. The Raiders finished the rollercoaster year 8-9.

The Raiders hired Chargers GM Tom Telesco to begin the offseason. Star defensive end Maxx Crosby was awarded an extension that will cement him as the second highest-paid defensive end in the league. Las Vegas signed Christian Wilkins to a four-year contract worth $110 million. In addition, the Raiders brought in Michael Gallup, Gardner Minshew II, Alexander Mattison and Cody Whitehair in part of a revamp on offense.

Brock Bowers was chosen 13th overall as a backup to Michael Mayer. Bowers brings stellar speed and playmaking abilities to the team – these skills make Bowers a “slot” tight end, an ingredient to a lethal tight end duo with Mayer. Oregon’s Jackson Powers–Johnson was picked in round two since he possesses elite blocking abilities – the Raiders intend on moving Powers-Johnson to guard as Whitehair is going to be starting at center.

2024 isn’t going to be an easy year as the Raiders own the NFL’s ninth-toughest schedule.

Time will tell if the Raiders will be successful this year – however, momentum from 2023 should carry over into the first weeks as coach Pierce gains the trust of the locker room. Look out for Crosby to lead the defense and Minshew to call the shots on offense.

New Orleans Saints Schedule & Ticket Deals

Sept. 15 at Baltimore Ravens, 10 a.m., CBS

Sept. 22 Carolina Panthers, 1:05 p.m., CBS

Sept. 29 Cleveland Browns, 1:25 p.m., CBS

Oct. 6 at Denver Broncos, 1:05 p.m., FOX

Oct. 13 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1:05 p.m., CBS

Oct. 20 at Los Angeles Rams, 1:05 p.m., CBS

Oct. 27 Kansas City Chiefs, 1:25 p.m., CBS

Nov. 3 at Cincinnati Bengals, 10 a.m., FOX

BYE WEEK

Nov. 17 at Miami Dolphins, 10 a.m., CBS

Nov. 24 Denver Broncos, 1:05 p.m., CBS

Nov. 29 at Kansas City Chiefs, Noon, Amazon Prime

Dec. 8 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 10 a.m., CBS

Dec. 16 Atlanta Falcons, 5:30 p.m., ESPN

Dec. 22 Jacksonville Jaguars, 1:25 p.m., CBS

Dec. 29 at New Orleans Saints, 10 a.m., FOX

Week 18 Los Angeles Chargers, TBA

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The New Orleans Saints added two defenders to the roster, claiming linebacker Monty Rice off waivers and signing tackle P.J. Mustipher off the Broncos’ practice squad. The team made the moves to fill in for safety Marcus Maye and tackle Malcolm Roach, who went to the Injured Reserve.

Rice and Mustipher may not be high-profile names in comparison to the likes of Maye, who has been a focal point of the defense for most of the season.

But depth on the defense may prove necessary as the team prepares for a postseason push. The team has already had to proceed without star cornerback Marshon Lattimore, who went on the Injured Reserve two weeks ago. Maye has previously missed time after receiving a three-game suspension.

Though the Saints do not stack up well to the rest of the league with a 5-7 record, they happen to be in the NFC South and have a legitimate chance to win the division. The Falcons currently hold first place with a 6-6 record.

With the offense struggling and quarterbacks Derek Carr and Jameis Winston constantly swapping the starting role, the defense has been of more importance and has kept the team in several games. More injuries on that front could prove especially costly.

The Saints’ upcoming slate of games is not particularly challenging, as they will not play a single team that is currently above .500. Their next two opponents, the Panthers and Giants, are near the bottom of the league and have only regressed throughout the season.

If New Orleans can stay healthy enough to compete as the team has all season, there should be an opportunity to finish with a winning record. For better or worse, a winning record might be the only requirement to securing a playoff berth.

The likes of the 49ers and Eagles may not be too welcoming from there, but a position in the postseason would be an accomplishment considering the Saints’ adversity in 2023.

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas was placed on the Injured Reserve list Wednesday after sustaining a knee injury on the first play of a Week 10 game against the Vikings. Thomas watched the rest of the contest from the sidelines but reportedly needs at least several weeks to recover.

Though Thomas could return later this season, the injury is just the latest for the veteran wide receiver. Once a star player by any standard, he has not managed to play a full season since 2019 and is now the second passing option in New Orleans behind Chris Olave. Despite playing for nearly the entirety of his first four seasons, he has spent more time on the sidelines in the last four.

“I think we’re all on the same page in terms of where we’re at,” Saints head coach Dennis Allen said about the team’s updated timeline for Thomas.

The receiver is not the only Saints player who will miss time, as star cornerback Marshon Lattimore was also placed on the IR list with an ankle injury.

Like Thomas, Lattimore was injured in the Vikings game and took the bye week to treat the injury. But team personnel did not feel that either player was on track to return and decided to put them on the shelf.

The Saints’ most recent slate of injuries could damage their prospects going forward, but the team has already played through similar situations. For most of the season, the team has alternated between quarterbacks Derek Carr and Jameis Winston, with Carr injured at several points. Through it all, New Orleans still earned a 5-5 record and currently sits atop a very weak NFC South division.

“We’ve been a little bit of a tale of two teams in that the first part of the season, we struggled offensively, the first five games and defensively played pretty well,” Allen said earlier this week. “That’s flipped a little bit over the last five weeks. … We need to get back to playing the type of defense that we played earlier in the season.”

Quarterback Trevor Lawrence helped lead the Jacksonville Jaguars to a 31-24 win against the New Orleans Saints.

Lawrence, who was dealing with a sprained knee coming into the Thursday Night Football game, finished 20 for 29 passing for 204 yards and a touchdown. Lawrence also ran a career-best 59 yards rushing on eight carries. 

Lawrence himself was quite surprised at how well he was able to run.

“Golly, it’s crazy how you have something like that going on, you don’t plan on moving a lot, and you end up running the ball more than I usually do. I’m really, really happy. That was the goal. Play, find a way to win the game, and not set it back,” Lawrence said. 

Lawrence threw the game-winning touchdown to Christian Kirk in the fourth quarter at the 3:08 mark. 

Coach Doug Pedersen praised Lawrence’s ability to play through pain.

“It just again shows the type of person he is and the unselfishness he has. I saw it last year when he got injured. He got injured in the Detroit game, and he battled injury throughout the rest of the year and gutted that out. This is different. This is a short week. On Monday, I would have told you he was not playing in this football game, but that’s not who Trevor is.” Pedersen said. 

The Jaguars are now 5-2 and first in the AFC South. The Saints, who fall under .500, are 3-4 and were unable to take the lead after tying 24-24 in the third quarter. This was after they trailed by 15 points.

The Saints play the Indianapolis Colts while the Jaguars play the Pittsburgh Steelers, both on Sunday, October 29. 

New Orleans Saints safety Marcus Maye will serve a three-game suspension after violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. The league announced the suspension on Wednesday.

It is unclear exactly how Maye, a veteran in the midst of his seventh NFL season, violated the policy, but his absence could negatively impact the Saints’ defense well into October. The former Jets defender has carved out a significant role in New Orleans since arriving in 2022 and earned his first interception with the team two weeks ago against the Titans.

Maye has had several legal incidents in the past. In 2021, he crashed his car in Florida and was arrested on DUI charges. The following year in Louisiana, he was arrested again after allegedly pointing a gun at underage women in a car during a road rage incident. He was charged for aggravated assault with a firearm.

In Maye’s absence, the Saints depth chart suggests that backup strong safety J.T. Gray will start. Gray played college football at Mississippi State and has been with the Saints since 2018, when he signed with the team as an undrafted free agent. He has appeared in 68 games for New Orleans but has never started.

In the event that the team sides with others besides Gray, third-string strong safety Jordan Howden and backup free safety Lonnie Johnson Jr. also figure as suitable options. Neither player has been with the team long, having only joined this offseason. Howden is rookie out of Minnesota that the Saints selected in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Jake Haener has been suspended by the NFL for six games after failing a drug test earlier this summer. Taysom Hill was named the third-string quarterback earlier this week, putting Haener fourth behind Derek Carr, Jameis Winston and Hill.

Following the NFL’s suspension ruling, which claimed that Haener had an undisclosed banned substance in his body when he was tested during the preseason, the quarterback released a statement apologizing for the incident.

“I recently learned that I tested positive for a substance banned by the NFL earlier this summer,” the statement read. “I still do not know how the substance got into my body, as none of my supplements or prescribed medications contain the banned ingredient. I would never knowingly cheat the game that I love, however I must take full responsibility for the failed test. I apologize to the Saints organization, my friends and my family for any distraction this suspension may cause. I am disappointed to be away from the team for the coming weeks, but I will learn and grow from this experience. I look forward to returning to the team as soon as possible.”

Though it was unlikely that Haener was going to play in the first six games of the season anyway, the suspension could put his position on the team in jeopardy. New Orleans selected him in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Fresno State, where he played his final three seasons of college football. In 2021, he threw for 4,096 yards and 33 touchdowns for the Bulldogs. He previously played at the University of Washington but only appeared in three games for the Huskies in 2018.

If the Saints need to make space on their roster, it’s a distinct possibility that Haener could be released or sent to the practice squad. If that does not occur, however, he will serve his suspension and rejoin the team in Week 7 and fill in as needed behind the team’s more experienced passers.

Last week, the New Orleans Saints re-signed their own in Cameron Jordan, as he was extended and given the most guarantees and average salary in NFL history for a defensive player his age – 34 years old.

On Friday, Saints defensive end Jordan agreed to a two-year, $27.5 million guaranteed contract extension that ties him to New Orleans through the 2025 season, his agents, Doug Hendrickson and CJ LaBoy, told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The veteran pass rusher is the Saint’s all-time sack leader and eight-time Pro Bowler, as he will likely retire with the team that drafted him in 2011 as a first-round pick, a rare move for any NFL player regardless of age.

“I want to finish my career here,” Jordan said. “I want my storyline to be here. I would love it if my story has been drafted here, kept here, been here, and never played a season without guaranteed money here. That’s probably in a category of its own right there. The story is to let unfold, finish, and be here. So maybe Year 15, if there is a Year 16 [possibility], we’ll talk about it then. Probably won’t be.”

Jordan had his family in attendance when the Saints announced the deal and will follow in his father’s footsteps, as former NFL great tight end Steve Jordan played for Minnesota from 1982 to 1994 and is a part of the Viking’s ring of honor.

With new teammate Derek Carr, the former Raiders quarterback, the New Orleans veteran pass rusher said he was looking forward to possibly taking him back to Las Vegas to play Super Bowl LVIII in Allegiant Stadium this season. He also said he was excited that the Super Bowl is coming back to New Orleans for the 2024 season.

“And then hopefully by then I’ll be looking for my second ring,” Jordan said.

This is the fourth multiyear contract between Jordan and the Saints, as he signed a three-year, $52.5 million deal with $42 million guaranteed back in 2019 that lasted up to the 2023 season.

“Fourth contract technically,” Jordan said. “Really like the third earned. Everybody is granted that [first] contract. … Fourth overall, 13 years in, looking to play to Year 15, spoke it into existence at Year 8 or 9. Honestly to have my family behind me … I’ve been truly honored and blessed to enter a market like New Orleans, [which has] everything that you want as a football player.”

He surpassed Hall of Fame Saints linebacker Rickey Jackson as the franchise sack leader last year with 115.5 sacks and is second in the NFL among active players, behind only Buffalo Bills edge rusher Von Miller (123.5). Jackson has the unofficial record with 123, but the NFL didn’t recognize his rookie season as individual sacks were not counted that year.

Jordan is looking toward beating that record this upcoming season, as he is just eight and a half shy.

“Earning the official record last year was a phenomenal milestone,” Jordan said. “I’ve still got to get that unofficial. We’ll talk about it later.”

The veteran New Orleans pass rusher can also get close to beating future hall-of-fame quarterback Drew Brees‘ record of most games played in a Saints uniform if Jordan can finish out his new contract playing. Brees has 228 games under his belt, while Jordan is at 192 games currently, slated to at least beat Jackson (195) and legendary Saints kicker Morten Andersen (196) this season to move into second behind Brees.

“It has been such a phenomenal and amazing experience that I couldn’t see myself being in anything but Black and Gold,” Jordan said.

As the projected second-ranked Saints player to play the highest number of games for just New Orleans, Jordan, the three-time All-Pro from California, has plenty of accolades to boast about as a likely future Hall of Famer.

The Raiders released the veteran quarterback Derek Carr back in February, but recently, the former Vegas signal caller apologized to Raiders fans about his performance last season, saying “I just didn’t feel like myself, and I feel bad for the (Raiders’) coaches and players.”

The former four-time pro bowler was benched in the last two games in 2022, before ultimately stopping Vegas from trade him before the offseason, using his no-trade clause so he could enter the offseason as a free agent before picking New Orleans as his next destination.

The Raiders replaced the 32-year-old with a 31-year-old, as Vegas inked a deal with former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason, barring a complication with his waiver that he signed in place of a physical (due to his foot surgery).

Back in January, despite his abrupt exit from the team, Carr posted his farewell to Raider Nation but also stated that he wanted “tell the whole truth” publicly, but just couldn’t or just wanted to let go of his past to move on to his future team, as he is now with the Saints.

However, this recent apology was issued about his on-field play, stating the fans did not see the best version of him last season. Carr said, “They just didn’t get my best, and that drove me crazy at the end of the year because I felt so spread out in so many different ways.”

His 2022 campaign was less than spectacular, as Vegas was third in the division, only winning six games after things were looking up in 2021. The Raiders, the year before this past season, were on the cusp of winning their wildcard berth against the Cincinnati Bengals, winning ten games and placing second in the division after Rich Bisaccia took over as the intern once John Gruden stepped down as the head coach.

Carr had a rocky career as a Raider, as statically some years he was better than average, but it never amount to wins in the postseason. Despite suffering a few injuries in his career, he has only missed around two to four games due to injury. Durability is Carr’s strong suit, but the 32-year-old still had one of his worst seasons this past year in his last 15 games, despite the addition of All-Pro and former college teammate Davante Adams in the offseason prior via trade.

In 2022, Carr posted his second lost completion percentage since his rookie year, with 60.8, and threw fewer yards since his 2017 year, when the Raiders were in Oakland. Only throwing for 3,522 yards in the air, he also threw the most amount of interceptions in a single year as a Raider, with 14. Carr’s passer rating, at 86.3, was also the second lowest in his career since his rookie year.

Along with his performance, Carr’s transition with head coach Josh McDaniels was anything but smooth. Apparently, his offensive scheme somewhat led to his on-field struggles that also involved some private matters off the field.

The former Raiders quarterback signed a four-year, $150 million contract that includes $100 million in total guarantees this past offseason, according to NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.

The new Saints quarterback is optimistic about his new start in New Orleans, stating that his goal is to maintain a “simple” focus on his team and football while getting the best version of himself.

“I’ve tried my best to get back to that. Hopefully, it leads to some success,” Carr said. “It’s going to be a great lesson for me to learn to help some guys down the road when they go through a coaching change or a shift in whatever they’re doing.”

After nine years with the team that drafted him in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft out of Fresno State, Carr moves on as the starter of the Saints for this coming season.

Tight end Foster Moreau signed a three-year, $12 million contract with the New Orleans Saints Wednesday, less than two months after he was diagnosed with cancer. Moreau will join quarterback Derek Carr, his former Raiders teammate, when he can return to action full-time.

Moreau learned about his cancer diagnosis during a physical exam conducted by Saints personnel. He described the diagnosis as a miracle.

“Through somewhat of a miraculous process, this Free Agency period has been life changing for me,” Moreau said in a tweet after receiving the news. “During a routine physical conducted by the Saint’s medical team down in New Orleans, I’ve come to learn that I have Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and will be stepping away from football at this time to fight a new opponent: Cancer. I’m grateful for the support and thankful for people who have stood firm with me.”

Terms of the contract were disclosed to ESPN by agent Joe Linta, who also reported that Moreau has received encouraging results following treatment for Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He has been cleared to return to the football field next week.

Moreau, a New Orleans native, came into the league in 2019 after four seasons at LSU, where he caught the attention of NFL scouts after being invited to the Senior Bowl in his final season. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the fourth round of that year’s NFL Draft and earned a starting role in his rookie season. Though he served primarily as a blocking tight end, he also caught five touchdowns on 21 receptions.

Though it is unclear how soon Moreau can make a full recovery, his clearance to return to action is a clear sign that he is in relatively good condition. The Saints will begin offseason workouts on May 23, and though he has been cleared to return, the extent to which he will participate is unclear.

NFL tight end Foster Moreau announced Wednesday that he will be stepping away from football after being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a form of cancer tied to the immune system. Moreau, who recently became a free agent, learned that he had cancer during a medical exam conducted by the New Orleans Saints.

“During a routine physical conducted by the Saint’s medical team down in New Orleans, I’ve come to learn that I have Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and will be stepping away from football at this time to fight a new opponent: Cancer,” Moreau said in a tweet.

Moreau, a New Orleans native, came into the league in 2019 after four seasons at LSU, where he caught the attention of NFL scouts after being invited to the Senior Bowl in his final season. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the fourth round of that year’s NFL Draft and earned a starting role in his rookie season. Though he served primarily as a blocking tight end, he also caught five touchdowns on 21 receptions.

After four years with the Raiders, one in Oakland and three in Las Vegas, Moreau entered free agency in 2023 with 1,107 career receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Discussions of a potential return to New Orleans were cut short by his cancer diagnosis.

“I’m grateful for the support and thankful for people who have stood firm with me,” Moreau went on to say. “There hasn’t been a single step I’ve taken without hundreds of people lighting the path before me, and I will continue to seek their guidance.”

Quarterback Derek Carr, Moreau’s former teammate who recently signed with the Saints, was one of many supporters to offer well wishes to Moreau, who did not provide a timetable for when he might be able to return to football. Hodgkin’s lymphoma has a very high survival rate, however, as there are a number of treatments available to those who are diagnosed early.

Sean Payton’s head coaching contract with the Denver Broncos has not yet been finalized, but reports suggest that the team will pay him $17-20 million per year in a deal spanning at least five years. This could make him the highest-paid coach in the league.

“Great fanbase. Great tradition,” Payton said, according to Nola.com’s Jeff Duncan. “The ownership group is fantastic, and I love the way they competed last year. It’s a great football city like we had in New Orleans.”

The Broncos announced that they had entered negotiations with Payton after reaching a trade agreement with the New Orleans Saints. Denver reportedly gave up a 2023 first-round and 2024 third-round pick for Payton and a future third-round pick from New Orleans.

The ultimate value of Payton’s contracts will reportedly come down to the finalized negotiation, which will determine annual value, incentives and other bonuses in the deal. Contracts for coaches are not generally as widely publicized as those for players, but the deal will certainly make Payton one of the highest-paid coaches in the NFL, regardless of the final arrangement.

Denver parted with head coach Nathaniel Hackett at the end of the 2022 season, one in which new quarterback Russell Wilson struggled mightily in an anemic offensive scheme. The team’s decision to acquire Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks last offseason has not yet paid off but acquiring Payton, a former Super Bowl winner and longtime collaborator with Drew Brees should have a positive impact.

In 2021, Payton stepped down from his position as Saints head coach after 15 seasons. In addition to a Super Bowl victory in 2010, he also earned a 152-89 career record.

Denver was not the only team in need of a head coach, and a number of organizations reportedly reached out to New Orleans for Payton’s services. After Kliff Kingsbury’s dismissal, the Arizona Cardinals were heavily rumored to be in negotiations with New Orleans. The Panthers also reached out to Payton for an interview before hiring Frank Reich.

The Los Vegas Raiders might move on from Derek Carr even sooner than many expect.

The way the quarterback’s contract is structured results in his $40.4 million salary becomes fully guaranteed for 2023 if the Raiders don’t move on by February 15.

Since it’s pretty obvious the team won’t be bringing Carr back, the team might move a lot quicker.

This is because the 31-year-old is slated to participate in the Pro Bowl flag football game Sunday.

Although he will be representing the Raiders, the team of course might be worried about his health after the game.

“A league exec openly wondered this week whether the Raiders would cut Derek Carr before he participates in the Pro Bowl flag football game Sunday since an injury there could trigger his $40.4 million guarantee early,” ESPN Insider Jeremy Fowler wrote in a column today, as cited by Raiders Beat.

Add that to the fact that Carr said he wouldn’t extend the deadline passed February 15 to buy the organization some extra time to trade him.

And if the Raiders allow the situation to drag out passed the deadline, then it could be tougher to find a trade partner.

So it’s Carr’s days as a Raider that could come to an end at any point ahead of Sunday.

This would mark the 2014 second pick’s fourth Pro Bowl with the Raiders.

In nine seasons, all with the same organization, Carr has thrown for more than 35,000 passing yards with 217 touchdown passes.

But now it will likely be the beginning of a new era for both the Raiders and Carr.

In particular, Fowler reportedly said that the New Orleans Saints are “buzzing” as a landing spot for the quarterback.

Saints 2022 starting quarterback Andy Dalton is scheduled to become a free agent.

Also, expect the New York Jets to show some interest.

Owner Woody Johnson said after the season ended that the quarterback was the “missing piece” and that he was willing to spend money on a veteran.

Some other teams that could use a quarterback include the Atlanta Falcons, Washington Commanders and others depending on what moves are made.

So Carr will have a market whether that’s via trade or free agency.

The Carolina Panthers have received permission to interview Sean Payton for their vacant head coaching position. Payton is one of many options the Panthers are considering to replace Matt Rhule, who was fired after five games this season.

In addition to an anticipated meeting with Payton, Carolina has already spoken to a number of candidates for the position. Some of these include Steve Wilks, the Panthers’ interim head coach following Rhule’s dismissal, Ken Dorsey, the Bills’ offensive coordinator, and Frank Reich, the former head coach of the Colts who was fired earlier this season. The team also has a meeting scheduled with Ben Johnson, the Lions’ offensive coordinator.

Unlike most of the other candidates, Payton has been out of the league since the 2021 season, having stepped down after 15 seasons as the head coach of the New Orleans Saints. In addition to a Super Bowl victory in 2010, Payton earned a 152-89 record.

Due to the nature of his withdrawal from the Saints’ organization, teams that want to interview Payton must ask permission from New Orleans, as he is still technically under contract. The Broncos, Cardinals and Texans have also requested to speak with Payton as a potential head coaching replacement.

The Saints reportedly denied the Dolphins when they wanted to interview the coach in an apparent attempt to pair him with Tom Brady. These plans were eventually scrapped after Brian Flores filed his lawsuit alleging that Miami’s front office engaged in discriminatory hiring practices.

The Panthers have more than one position to fill on their coaching staff, and in addition to interviewing Payton and others for head coach, they have also begun searching for a new defensive coordinator. The team’s old defensive coordinator, Phil Snow, was fired along with Rhule in October. Leading candidates to replace him include Vic Fangio, a defensive consultant for the Eagles, and Marquand Manuel, the Jets’ safeties coach.

This season, the Panthers cycled through three different starting quarterbacks on the way to a mediocre 7-10 record. Though it was nearly good enough to win an extremely weak NFC South division, the team obviously has to improve in order to compete on a consistent basis going forward.

The Philadelphia Eagles claimed quarterback Ian Book off waivers on Tuesday, adding a third quarterback to their roster behind Jalen Hurts and Gardner Minshew.

The fourth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft was cut by the New Orleans Saints earlier in the day.

Coming out of Notre Dame in 2021, many viewed Book as a play caller with severe limitations, chiefly struggles with accuracy and decision making. Former Saints coach Sean Payton saw enough upside to take a chance on the young thrower following Drew Brees’ retirement, but with Payton gone at the end of last season, a future in New Orleans became unlikely for Book.

After two poor showings in the 2022 preseason, Book actually played solidly in the team’s last game against the Los Angeles Chargers, completing 11 of 15 passes for 81 yards and a touchdown. It wasn’t enough to justify his position as the third quarterback on the team, however, and New Orleans cut him soon after.

Jameis Winston and Andy Dalton are the only remaining quarterbacks on the team’s roster.

While the Saints seem comfortable without Book as their QB3, the Eagles leapt at the opportunity to take Book in the same role. Executive Vice President and General Manager Howie Roseman stressed the importance of taking the extra quarterback, even as teams cut down their roster to 53 players for the regular season.

“We will have a third quarterback for sure,” Roseman said.

In the 2021 regular season, Book only made one appearance on Dec. 27 in a disaster scenario for the Saints, as Winston was already out for the season while second- and third- string quarterbacks Taysom Hill and Trevor Siemian couldn’t play due to COVID-19 protocols. Book was dreadful against the Miami Dolphins, throwing for 135 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions in a 20-3 defeat.

At Notre Dame, Book threw for 8,948 yards and 72 touchdowns in four years with the team. He had his best season in his junior year when he threw for 3,034 yards and 34 touchdowns and led the team to the College Football Playoff.

In 2020, he finished ninth in Heisman voting.

Tyrann Mathieu is coming home, as the defensive back plans to sign a three-year deal worth $18 million guaranteed ($33 million total) with the New Orleans Saints.

Nothing is finalized, but that seems a mere formality.

Throughout nine seasons in the NFL, “Honey Badger,” a New Orleans native who played college ball at LSU, has amassed 26 interceptions, 10 sacks, and 620 combined tackles.

He’s also played for the Cardinals, Chiefs, and Texans.

With the grand jury opting to not indict the quarterback on allegations of sexual misconduct, soon-to-be-former Houston Texan Deshaun Watson is expected to decide on his new team soon.

Watson, who sat out last season due to the allegations, is eager to find a new NFL home but it will not be in Cleveland or Carolina, as he has ixnayed those two possibilities.

The Browns may have shot themselves in the foot, as their meeting with Watson irked their current QB, Baker Mayfield, who has since requested a trade—a trade the team denied. He’s due a fully guaranteed $18.5 million in 2022.

Barring a mystery team jumping into the equation, it appears that Watson has limited his potential suitors down to the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints. The two landing places are intriguing—Watson hails from the Atlanta area, while the Saints have a ton of free cap space and a need for a QB since Drew Brees retired.

The QB is expected to ponder his decision over the weekend and decide next week, however whatever team he chooses may be weary as potential discipline could be handed down by the NFL.

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara was arrested in Las Vegas on Sunday evening and charged with battery that officials say caused “substantial bodily harm” to the victim.

The incident happened at a nightclub on Saturday.

Kamara is scheduled to appear before a judge at 1:30 p.m. local time Monday, with his bond set at $5,000.

The arrest happened a mere hours after Kamara played in the NFL’s 2022 Pro Bowl at Allegiant Stadium.

It was Kamara’s fifth trip to the Pro Bowl in his fifth NFL season.