Kellen Moore can win over a lot of Saints fans immediately if he makes a major roster decision they're hoping for

It is official. The New Orleans Saints finally have their new head coach in former Philadelphia Eagles OC Kellen Moore. 

Now, the decisions begin for the youngest head coach in the NFL, at 36 years old. This offseason will be a perilous one for his new team - with plenty of question marks and important choices involved at every level. 

The decision on Derek Carr

This is the biggest domino to fall for New Orleans during this offseason now. With the hiring of Kellen Moore, he will play a notable role in deciding the future of the quarterback position for the Saints. 

Many fans are hoping for the Saints to simply "rip the bandage off" when it comes to Derek Carr. The veteran QB has had some high points in his two seasons as the starter, but overall, the campaigns have been disappointing from an overall view. 

Of course, navigating the contract of Carr will be the biggest task, and Moore won't be in charge of that aspect. If they decide to release him, the dead cap implications will be big over the next two years. 

Cutting Carr with a post-June 1 designation would result in an $11.458 million dead-money charge in 2025, with another $28.674 million hitting the cap in 2026.

Carr currently has a $10 million fully-guaranteed roster bonus that is also due in March. If he’s released, it would be subject to offset. The Saints would avoid the obligation if he makes more than $10 million in 2025 with another team. 

-- Pro Football Talk

Carr also won't take a pay cut for the upcoming season or beyond. A restructure is on the table, but he doesn't see it as a smart decision to simply decrease his own pay.

Would I restructure? Absolutely. I’ll always help the team that way. But there’s some things that you put out there that you earned. Even in some cases it could be even worse, but I felt confident when I signed it that this would give the team the best flexibility at the time. . . .

But there’s always a kind of respect as a quarterback you’re like, well still we’re in that respectful lane... But yeah, I wouldn’t take anything less to do this. It’s hard enough putting our bodies through it. And you’re trying to get everything you can for your family for it.” -- Carr on a pay cut/restructure

A trade would make more sense for the Saints when it comes to moving on from Carr. The difficulty could be finding a partner for an aging QB, coming off an injury-laden season. 

The money situation wouldn't be quite as harsh, and they could get a little bit of draft compensation, albeit not much, from a team who seems Carr as a potential starter next season.

Ultimately, it all comes down to Moore's choice for his QB going forward. 

He may choose to role with Spencer Rattler in 2025 to see what he has in the young gunslinger, or he could look to this year's NFL Draft at some point to add another name into the hat. A veteran in free agency is also on the table. 

We will see which route Moore chooses. It's a massive decision, with long-term implications, to start of his tenure with the Saints.