To little surprise, Kellen Moore is set to quickly move on to his next NFL opportunity. The former Cowboys offensive coordinator is expected to join the Chargers to fulfill the same role, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport).
The 33-year-old had one year remaining on his contract with Dallas, but he and the team mutually parted ways yesterday. That brought an end to his four-year tenure at the helm of the Cowboys’ offense, one in which he established himself as a highly-regarded young mind on that side of the ball. Moore had received head coaching interest in recent hiring cycles, and was a top OC candidate once he hit the open market.
In the immediate aftermath of his departure, it was reported that the Buccaneers had an interest in interviewing him. Not long after, it came out that the Chargers were seeking a meeting with Moore, leading to the expectation that he would be able to quickly find his next coaching gig. With a deal now in place, per multiple reports, the former quarterback can turn his attention to one of the league’s top collection of offensive players.
Rapoport’s colleague Mike Garafolo tweets that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones let Moore out of his contract, allowing him to move on with the understanding that a new opportunity would not be hard to come by. That makes it little surprise that he has immediately landed in a new home, one where he will face significant expectations right away. The Chargers boast one of the league’s top young passers in Justin Herbert, a highly-acclaimed pair of wideouts in Keenan Allen and Mike Williams and a high-end dual-threat running back in Austin Ekeler.
Recent improvements made along the offensive line add further to the belief that the team’s success in 2022 will be replicated, at a minimum. Los Angeles had the ninth-ranked total offense in 2022 under Joe Lombardi and saw high-end production in the passing game in particular. A lack of balance for the unit – highlighted especially in the second half of the team’s playoff meltdown against the Jaguars – led to speculation that Lombardi could be on the hot seat, however. In a move signaling that Staley will be safe for at least the 2023 campaign, the former was fired earlier this month.
Moore will step in as his replacement as a play-caller and mark an end to a sizeable search process the team conducted. The fact that Moore has so quickly been brought on board speaks to how highly he is thought of by the team’s staff and front office. The Cowboys, meanwhile, are in the early stages of their search for Moore’s replacement, though it has been reported that head coach Mike McCarthy will call plays regardless of who is ultimately brought in.
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