Foster Moreau should help open up the Saints offense

The plan was the plan all along.

Granted, the plan changed when Saints team doctor John Amoss discovered a mass while conducting a physical on tight end Foster Moreau a few months ago. But Moreau is a fighter, someone who is going to find a way, and the Saints stuck with the vision of having Moreau in their offense, because it was always the right vision.

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Moreau, 25, first announced on March 22 that he had been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma after Amoss, who specializes in internal medicine, detected a concern during a physical on his free agent visit.

Through somewhat of a miraculous process, this Free Agency period has been life changing for me. During a routine physical conducted by the Saint’s medical team down in New Orleans, I’ve come to learn that I have Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and will be stepping away from football (1/3)— Foster Moreau (@fhmoreau) March 22, 2023

Moreau, who played at Jesuit High School and LSU, later said the cancer had spread and that he was in Stage 2, but that doctors were confident it could all be removed through treatment, including chemotherapy. He later completed his physical with the Saints, and league sources confirmed to NOF that it has been his intention throughout the process to return and play in 2023.

Moreau recently received a very positive diagnosis, per source. He's still getting treatment, but it's not expected to impact his participation. The Saints will bring him along slowly, but he is not expected to face any limitations and could participate as soon as next week if team doctors feel comfortable, which is great news for both the team and player.

I'm told Moreau has clearance to participate as soon as next week but the doctors might choose to play it slow.What an incredible turnaround. https://t.co/2drU2FuGDN— Nick Underhill 🏈 (@nick_underhill) May 10, 2023

New Orleans badly needed another tight end. Adam Trautman was traded during the draft, leaving Juwan Johnson and Taysom Hill as the only sure things on the roster. And while those two players are great at what they do — Johnson as a receiver and Hill as the jack-of-all-trades — the Saints don’t have any sure things to serve as the in-line tight end. Moreau should be that guy.

The New Orleans native is just the type of player the team needs. He provides real value in the passing game, especially last year when he caught 33 passes for 420 yards while playing alongside Derek Carr with the Raiders. One added benefit: Moreau has 12 touchdowns on 132 targets from Carr. His arrival should help an offense that struggled in the red zone last year.

However, Moreau’s blocking is what sets him apart.

Moreau is one of the better pass-blocking tight ends in the NFL, and he should be ready to come in, line up on the edge of the offensive line and make an impact. He’s also adequate as a run blocker, which means he can stay on the field in all situations without providing any major tells to the defense.

That type of flexibility is significant for all teams, but especially for a team like the Saints, which likes to run the same plays from various personnel looks while trying to trap the defense in a bad matchup. Moreau gives New Orleans the flexibility to do almost anything, while Johnson and Hill can be joker-like players who can line up anywhere and cause issues for the defense.

Moreau's addition is also important because New Orleans will likely use a decent amount of heavier personnel packages this year to make the most of its various weapons, which will be a change from a year ago. The Saints almost completely phased out their 22 (two tight ends, two running backs) personnel last season, using it on 2.9% of the snaps last year, including just four passes. That should increase this season.

The Saints had a high overall ration of 12 personnel plays (one running back, two tight ends) ,but that was due to Hill’s involvement and him being counted as a tight end no matter where he played. Only about 19% of the team’s plays came with him lined up as a true tight end last year.

The good thing about these plays is that New Orleans can use them to take advantage of their running backs and tight ends, but they can also be used to open up more shots downfield. Before the offense was condensed in 2017, the Saints often deployed heavy personnel packages and would beat up on the opponent for keeping their safeties deep to protect against shots downfield. Once the safety crept up, New Orleans would send Brandin Cooks on a go route and make the defense pay.

These plays weren’t so much a part of the offense in recent years, but there’s no reason they can’t come back and be a bigger part of the team.

The mission hasn't changed... let's get it https://t.co/DUEuOeBGJo— Derek Carr (@derekcarrqb) May 10, 2023

Adding Moreau checks off the last of the team's remaining needs after dealing away Trautman. Now, the Saints have just about everything they need to succeed on offense. The players and coaches just have to make it work.