Saints offseason checklist: Should New Orleans jettison key player?

With the new league year kicking off March 12, NFL teams are already deep into planning for the offseason.

Here are five moves the New Orleans Saints should make in the coming months.

1. Move on from QB Derek Carr

New head coach Kellen Moore said positive things about Carr during his introductory news conference, but he didn't firmly commit to the 11-year veteran being the team's starter in 2025.

The Saints are an estimated $47.2M above the projected salary cap and would save $1.3M by cutting Carr before June 1. New Orleans would see bigger savings by designating Carr a post-June 1 cut ($30M), but the team would need to find other means to get below the cap before March 12.

Even if the Saints choose to go with the lesser financial savings, cutting Carr would be worth it. He has produced serviceable numbers in his two seasons in New Orleans (40 TD passes, 14-13 mark as starter), but Moore shouldn't be saddled with a QB he inherited. The Saints must turn the page on the old regime, and that includes starting over at QB.

2. Pick up WR Chris Olave's 2026 fifth-year option (and decline OT Trevor Penning's)

The Saints must decide before May 1 whether to pick up the fifth-year options of their two 2022 first-round picks. The decision should be fairly straightforward.

Olave is a stud, but Penning is a dud. Per Over The Cap, both players are eligible for a basic fifth-year option, roughly $15.2 million for wide receivers and $17.4 million for offensive linemen.

Per ESPN Analytics, the former Ohio State wide receiver ranks as the NFL's eighth-best wide receiver since being drafted.

Olave at $15.2 million would be a steal, while New Orleans has no business committing $17.4 million to Penning after he led the NFL in pressures allowed by right tackles in 2024 (h/t Pro Football Focus).

3. Re-sign CB Paulson Adebo

All-time great NFL coach Bill Belichick noticed Adebo's strong season, acknowledging the four-year pro as a member of his 2024 All-Belichick Team.