It is easy to forget that the Dallas Cowboys interviewed Kellen Moore during their head coaching search earlier this offseason. Moore was considered a strong candidate, but the Cowboys were blown away by Brian Schottenheimer and the rest is history.
That didn't deter Moore from landing a head coaching gig, however, as he was hired by the Saints. It's a deserved opportunity for Moore, but New Orleans has one of the bleakest outlooks of any NFL team because the front office has been downright reckless with its resources.
Speaking of, Moore and the Saints made a trade that sent shockwaves around the league on Wednesday when they acquired wide receiver Devaughn Vele (!) from the Broncos for a 2026 fourth-round pick and a 2027 seventh-round pick.
Kellen Moore, Saints trading for Devaughn Vele is straight out of Jerry Jones' Cowboys playbook
Much like Jerry Jones, Saints general manager Mickey Loomis will ever learn. This trade is eerily similar to when the Cowboys sent a fourth-round pick to the Panthers for Jonathan Mingo, another unproven receiver, at last year's trade deadline.
Vele is already 27 years old despite being drafted last year. It'd be one thing if tore it up in his first season, but he finished with 41 catches for 475 yards and three touchdowns. That's solid production for a seventh-round rookie, but again he was 27, and it's nowhere near enough to justify a fourth-round pick and a seventh-rounder.
Simply put, New Orleans should be the last team that is going out and acquiring talent. They are expected to finish with one of the worst records this season, if not the worst. Trading for Vele isn't going to change that.
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Not only that, but the Saints have talent at wide receiver. 2023 first-round pick Chris Olave is one of the most talented young WRs in the game. He had over 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first two seasons before injuries limited him to eight games last year.
Rahid Shaheed, meanwhile, is the definition of dynamic. He put up 719 yards and five scores as a second-year player in 2023 and he was on pace for over 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns before a meniscus injury ended his season after six games.
Both Olave and Shaheed are back healthy, and the Saints went out and signed former Cowboy Brandin Cooks in free agency. In addition, 2024 undrafted free agent Mason Tipton is the NFL's second leading receiver after two weeks of preseason action.
Moore and New Orleans deciding to trade for Vele when draft picks are their best friend moving forward is one thing, but giving up a fourth and a seventh for a second-year wideout who will turn 28 in December and plays nearly 70 percent of his snaps in the slot is indefensible.
Unless your Jerry Jones.