The New Orleans Saints are staring down one of the biggest deadlines of the preseason, and Kellen Moore sees a silver lining in the way the NFL set it up this year.
With roster cuts to 53 players coming Sunday, Moore said the timing should actually help the players who survive the process. He pointed to the league’s changed structure and the extra work it gives the team before Week 1.
“The NFL, they changed their structure just a little bit. Roster cuts are on Sunday, so we really get a full week, which I think is going to be to the league's advantage.
We'll get three practices in next week. Usually, you kinda drag those roster decisions and you only end up getting one, maybe two practices,” the Saints head coach said, via New Orleans Football Network.
Moore addressed the deadline on Wednesday as the Saints continue sorting through tough personnel decisions. He’s entering his second season in charge in New Orleans after being hired following a Super Bowl run as the Philadelphia Eagles' offensive coordinator.
His first year on the sideline in New Orleans was a rough one. The Saints stumbled out of the gate at 2-8, then found a better rhythm late and closed the year by going 4-3 down the stretch. That left them with a 6-11 finish.
Now the focus shifts to 2026, where the Saints are hoping for a cleaner start. Their regular season opens September 13 against Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions.
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Saints Week 1 Just Got More Interesting With New Lions Concern
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The added concern has pushed the Lions to at least explore outside help, with veteran Kareem Hunt visiting the team as the uncertainty lingers. For New Orleans, it is another small but meaningful wrinkle in a matchup that looked one way early and may now look a little different by kickoff, depending on how Detroit handles the running back spot over the next few days. [Read more 🡒]