Saints throwing shade at Dennis Allen shows Kellen Moore was the right hire

New Orleans Saints fans can look at any number of 2025 NFL season preview articles, and nearly all of them project their team to rank at or near the bottom of the hypothetical league-wide standings. Kellen Moore is inheriting a long-term rebuild that will feature plenty of losing in 2025.

Moore is also coming to a team that was left in tatters by Dennis Allen. Not only were they struggling to win many games, but they were doing so while being utterly miserable. Moore's personality will be as important as his ability to craft a quality passing game.

Even though New Orleans has no idea who their Week 1 starting quarterback is going to be and is playing in a much-improved NFC South, the vibes seem to be much better than they were with Allen in charge. Tight end Juwan Johnson, who sat through the entire Allen era, can attest to that

According to Johnson, the last time the Saints' locker room was in such good spirits was the 2021 season, where they started off 5-2 before an injury to Jameis Winston took the wind out of their sails. Moore is already starting off on the right foot.

Kellen Moore looking better than Dennis Allen at Saints training camp

Not only was Allen unable to put a winning product on the field, but the vibes were about as poisonous that every loss felt like a wake. The lack of motivation and fire from the players was apparent to anyone who watched, and some weren't even shy about making their frustrations public.

A successful year for Moore is going to be as much about restoring the positivity in the locker room and laying a foundation as it is about leading the Saints to wins. While he has a reputation as an offensive savant, Moore may not have all the horses he needs to implement his preferred offensive scheme.

However, the Saints now have a clear direction for the first time in quite a while. If the Saints' hiring eye proves wise, there's a good chance that they may have accidentally stumbled upon the NFL's next great offensive mind. Like Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco, it could take time for him to implement his vision.

Moore has the Saints in good spirits. If he can sustain that throughout a tough 2025 season, fans can feel optimistic about what the future holds with a more concrete quarterback plan.