A New Era Begins in New Orleans
After three disappointing seasons under Dennis Allen, the 2025 New Orleans Saints look to be moving in a new direction. The team has a new head coach in Kellen Moore and will have a new starting quarterback in either Tyler Shough or Spencer Rattler.
However, one change that’s gone slightly under the radar is the appointment of new defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, who replaces Joe Woods after a poor season that saw the Saints finish third-last in the NFL in yards allowed.
Brandon Staley’s Coaching Journey
Staley will be a familiar name to most, having previously been the head coach for the Los Angeles Chargers as part of the wave of exciting young coaches that has taken over the league in recent years. However, Staley had limited success in LA, compiling a 24-24 record across his three seasons and being fired after a dismal 63-21 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in December 2023.
But while Staley might have been disappointing as a head coach, his record as a defensive coordinator at the LA Rams will be a huge source of excitement for Saints fans. In his one season as the Rams’ DC, the team ranked as the best in the league in both points and yardage allowed, giving up just 18.5 points per game and dragging a below-average offense into the playoffs.
And while this Rams defense was anchored by all-time great Aaron Donald and All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey, the 2020 Rams are a total outlier among other Rams teams of that era—and it just happens to be Staley’s only season as DC there. Staley also managed to get 10.5 sacks out of Leonard Floyd, which was by far the best season of his career.
Indeed, during his time as an outside linebackers coach in Chicago in 2018, the Bears also ranked number one in points allowed, with Staley coaching Khalil Mack during an All-Pro season that saw him tally 12.5 sacks.
Scheme Shift: From 4-3 to 3-4
So why was Staley’s defense so successful in Los Angeles, and what can Saints fans expect to see on the field in 2025? Staley’s defensive units usually used a 3-4 formation, unlike the Saints’ 4-3 from last season.
This means, quite simply, that the team will line up with three men on the line and four linebackers behind—ideally favoring more dynamic linebackers coming off the edge and getting to the quarterback.
The team sorely lacked this throughout the 2024 season, with the Saints ranking in the bottom half of the league for sacks, partly due to a bottom-ten blitz rate of 20.6%. Last season’s Saints struggled in many ways, but the year was underscored by a serious lack of dynamism on defense, with the team failing to pressure the quarterback in key games.
More: Ranking the Saints’ Toughest to Easiest Opponents in 2025
Promising Talent for a Rebuild
But the Who Dat Nation will be hoping this will change under Staley. The team might still lack elite, high-end talent on defense, but there are reasons to believe it could take significant steps forward in 2025.
Regarding an exciting, powerful threat on the D-line, the team picked up Vernon Broughton out of the University of Texas in the third round of this year’s draft. Broughton is 6’4”, weighs in at 311 lb, and looks the part of a genuine force as Staley looks to carve out a unit similar to what he had in LA.
For this defense to succeed, Staley will be looking for Broughton and Bryan Bresee to form a partnership—Bresee has impressed during his first two seasons in New Orleans. If these two can develop a serious defensive front, it should help create opportunities for the linebackers and help bolster a run defense that was seriously flagged last season.
Safety Blitz and Slot Corner Potential
The third draft round also saw safety Jonas Sanker join the team following two First-Team All-ACC seasons at Virginia. Sanker is a hard-hitting safety and figures to play a role in Staley’s blitz packages.
While Staley’s defense with the Rams was defined by utilizing two-high safety looks, he’s not afraid to use safeties in blitzes when needed, creating danger for quarterbacks and helping limit the run game.
Speaking of which, hiring Staley could be a dream appointment for Alontae Taylor. Taylor was one of the Saints’ better defenders last year, with a unique skillset that Staley will be happy to maximize. He is used primarily as a slot corner and has been strong in coverage, recording seven tackles for loss and six quarterback hits last year.
A player like Taylor could be exactly what Staley is looking for, and we expect the Saints’ blitz rate to increase significantly compared to last year. Since the trade of Marshon Lattimore, Taylor has effectively become CB1 for the Saints, and we expect him to solidify that role even further next season.
Budget Constraints and Long-Term Vision
Of course, the biggest issue facing Staley, Kellen Moore, and new offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier this offseason has been the lack of salary cap flexibility and the inability to add new talent to an aging 5–12 roster coming off its worst season in 20 years.
Even if the team doesn’t contend right away, this does feel like a genuine shift in direction for the franchise. Some may be put off by Staley’s head coaching record with the Chargers, but he wouldn’t be the first to struggle as a head coach yet thrive as a DC—something Saints fans know all too well after the Dennis Allen experience.
Cautious Optimism
Still on the younger side at 42, Staley has spoken about having greater flexibility with this team and emphasized a willingness to adapt in an ever-evolving NFL.
Overall, he looks like a smart, solid appointment for a franchise entering its first true rebuild in years.
And if his defensive success with the LA Rams is any indication, this could be the start of a much more aggressive, blitz-heavy Saints defense, especially once more talent is added in the coming seasons.
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