As the Philadelphia Eagles prepare for Super Bowl 59 against the Kansas City Chiefs, they are doing so with the expectation that this will be their last game with offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. It seems likely that Moore will soon be named head coach of the New Orleans Saints.
Moore may be in a weak division, but he will face a very tough rebuild that features minimal cap space, some quarterback uncertainty, and a lack of young talent. Moore will need to bring in a collection of high-end assistant coaches who can help squeeze the most success out of this flawed roster.
These three coaches, some of whom have personal connections to Moore and some of whom could just be the best possible fits for the job, could be on their way to New Orleans with this new-look staff. If Moore nails his hires, the play on the field will sort itself out.
3 assistant coaches Kellen Moore could hire as New Orleans Saints head coach
Defensive Coordinator: Michael Wilhoite, OLB coach, Denver Broncos
Wilhoite, who was fired by the Los Angeles Chargers right before Moore came to town as the OC, is a former Saints coach who has spent the last two years coaching outside linebackers for Sean Payton in Denver. One need look no further than Nik Bonnito's emergence as evidence of Wilhoite's quality.
For a Saints fanbase that is rightfully dejected after how the last few years of gone, poaching someone from the Payton tree who has had success with New Orleans in the past and is coming off a key role on one of the NFL's best defenses could help Moore establish the Saints as a defense not to be trifled with.
Offensive Coordinator: Doug Nussmeier, QB coach, Philadelphia Eagles
Nussmeier is the closest thing Moore has to a coaching mentor, as he has served as Moore's quarterback coach in Dallas, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia. If Moore gets a head coaching job, it seems natural that Nussmeier would be along for the ride in some capacity.
Even if Moore ends up calling his own plays as Saints head coach, bringing Nussmeier in as the OC will give him a very important role as a game planner, strategist, and overseer of the entire offensive operation. Someone like that is worth having, especially for a coach as young as Moore.
Senior Offensive Assistant: Doug Pederson, former HC, Jacksonville Jaguars
Pederson may have crashed and burned in stunning fashion, but that was due to his frankly puzzling loyalty to Press Taylor and his inability to command the Jaguars locker room at the end of his tenure. In a role like senior offensive assistant, Pederson could get back to doing what he does best.
Pederson could put his own unique twist on the offense, all while guiding Moore along in how to handle the day-to-day grind of being a head coach in the NFL. All Pederson needs to do is slam his Super Bowl ring down on Gayle Benson's desk, and he should have a job.