The New Orleans Saints open their 2025 season at home against the Seattle Seahawks this Sunday. With a new staff in place, there are plenty of questions to answer for the team. Let’s take a look at a few of them.
How Will Kelvin Banks Look in His Debut?
Many pundits described Kelvin Banks as a reach by the Saints when they took him No. 12 overall out of Texas in the draft this past April. With some analysts predicting him to slide inside to guard, the pick was met with borderline incessant derision.
While taking pre-season results with an entire pillar of salt, it is safe to say that Banks has done everything within his power to silence early doubts. Not only did New Orleans keep him at his college position of left tackle; the rookie graded out as the top pass blocking tackle in all football through the first two preseason games.
There are fewer things more impactful for an offense than a foundational left tackle. Even the best quarterbacks need protection. If the Saints were able to land such a player with Banks, it might make it easier to get a positive answer for our next two questions.
How will Spencer Rattler Respond to Being an NFL Week 1 Starter?
New Orleans fans got a long look at Spencer Rattler last season. While he flashed some potential in six starts, he was overall uninspiring. With second-round rookie Tyler Shough on board now, it’d be fair to say Rattler getting the Week 1 start would’ve registered as a surprise before camp.
However, with Rattler looking more consistent overall during the preseason, he’s assured himself the first crack at taking the reins of the offense. Starting Week 1 comes with its own type of pressure though and, while he’s looked better in 2025 compared to 2024, it’ll be very interesting to see how he responds to this opportunity.
How Does Kellen Moore Look in His Head Coaching Debut?
Kellen Moore has a track record that speaks for itself. Record setting quarterback at Boise State, six years as an NFL offensive coordinator, and as of last year, NFL champion.
But at 37, he’s the NFL youngest active head coach, and with that comes its own set of challenges. NFL history is littered with examples of successful coordinators that couldn’t quite crack it as a head coach.
Being responsible for a whole staff and having input in all three phases of roster construction is much different than being able to focus on one side of the ball. We know what a Kellen Moore-led offense looks like. How it differs from a Kellen Moore led-team will tell us a lot about how the Saints season will go.
New Orleans fans are not overly optimistic about their chances this year. After all, this roster has quite a bit of carryover from last year’s underwhelming squad. But if these three questions can start to get some positive answers in Week 1, there may be more reason for hope than previously believed.