New Orleans Saints beat reporter for The Times-Picayune and The Advocate. DePaul alum.https://bsky.app/profile/matthewparas.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/matthewparas.bsky.social/post/3lxzp3jrylk2g“You have to be your authentic self. If I become some raging screamer, the guys are going to look at me like I’m an idiot.” "Everyone, no matter who it is, is going to be compared to him.” I wrote about whether Kellen Moore is the next Sean Payton: https://www.nola.com/sports/saints/kellen-moore-as-saints-next-sean-payton-hes-just-himself/article_cc6f9eba-7a9b-46be-9a8f-4a0e6756c8ef.html#tncms-source=featured-204 Sep 2025 17:43 +0000at://did:plc:drkq7zzjtp6itzdvtzlell76/app.bsky.feed.post/3lxzp3jrylk2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/matthewparas.bsky.social/post/3lx3znwfpkk2jFirst post here in a while, but there's no better way to break it with a 53-man roster projection: https://www.nola.com/sports/saints/saints-53-man-roster-projection-inside-the-teams-toughest-calls-before-cuts-are-made/article_37a926a5-2426-43c9-bdd7-8b9dce76558e.html23 Aug 2025 22:33 +0000at://did:plc:drkq7zzjtp6itzdvtzlell76/app.bsky.feed.post/3lx3znwfpkk2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/matthewparas.bsky.social/post/3ljzz2g32y223Here for now since Twitter hasn't watched The Social Network10 Mar 2025 16:49 +0000at://did:plc:drkq7zzjtp6itzdvtzlell76/app.bsky.feed.post/3ljzz2g32y223https://bsky.app/profile/matthewparas.bsky.social/post/3lhd3hdopes25Kellen Moore was asked about coaching the Saints. Here's what he had to say. https://www.nola.com/sports/saints/saints-kellen-moore-head-coach/article_9dfe6f26-e2a4-11ef-8b73-572c0739318d.html04 Feb 2025 03:10 +0000at://did:plc:drkq7zzjtp6itzdvtzlell76/app.bsky.feed.post/3lhd3hdopes25https://bsky.app/profile/matthewparas.bsky.social/post/3lgeabc7lh22lI had some thoughts about Aaron Glenn choosing the Jets over the Saints and what that means for the team's coaching search: https://www.nola.com/sports/saints/saints-miss-out-on-aaron-glenn/article_3d79a8ea-d8ff-11ef-989a-d75927b4a7c4.html22 Jan 2025 20:44 +0000at://did:plc:drkq7zzjtp6itzdvtzlell76/app.bsky.feed.post/3lgeabc7lh22lhttps://bsky.app/profile/matthewparas.bsky.social/post/3lehicadkxk2tI don't know if the Saints should cut Derek Carr this offseason, but if they do, they better have a concrete plan to replace him. I took a look at what happened to the Raiders after moving on from him. https://www.nola.com/sports/saints/should-saints-cut-derek-carr-2025/article_f19ba1bc-c549-11ef-94e0-a3f2381df371.html29 Dec 2024 16:55 +0000at://did:plc:drkq7zzjtp6itzdvtzlell76/app.bsky.feed.post/3lehicadkxk2thttps://bsky.app/profile/matthewparas.bsky.social/post/3ldopgjebwk22Some good news for the Saints: https://www.nola.com/sports/saints/saints-chris-olave-returns-to-practice/article_71de1086-be41-11ef-998d-3f73c4e6fc0e.html19 Dec 2024 20:26 +0000at://did:plc:drkq7zzjtp6itzdvtzlell76/app.bsky.feed.post/3ldopgjebwk22https://bsky.app/profile/matthewparas.bsky.social/post/3ldonuk5o222pCam Jordan played 41.2% of the defense's snaps this season under Dennis Allen. Then, Darren Rizzi took over. Jordan has since played 56.2% of the snaps — and the defensive end is rewarding the Saints after the uptick in playing time. On a "re-energized" Jordan: https://www.nola.com/sports/saints/saints-inside-cam-jordan-resurgence/article_68edc4f6-bd17-11ef-8af2-5bb1c9647cd7.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=user-share19 Dec 2024 19:58 +0000at://did:plc:drkq7zzjtp6itzdvtzlell76/app.bsky.feed.post/3ldonuk5o222phttps://bsky.app/profile/matthewparas.bsky.social/post/3ldjusktzsc2aI took a quick look at the Saints' current draft position, the chance they land in the top 10 and some of the recent players picked 10th: https://www.nola.com/sports/saints/will-the-saints-land-a-top-10-pick-what-the-last-3-games-mean-for/article_2c6a133e-bcba-11ef-951d-cb083608e0dc.html17 Dec 2024 22:19 +0000at://did:plc:drkq7zzjtp6itzdvtzlell76/app.bsky.feed.post/3ldjusktzsc2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/matthewparas.bsky.social/post/3ldeelgnxsk26Before this game starts, I had a realization the other day: Derek Carr = Carson Wentz (polarizing) Spencer Rattler = Sam Howell (fifth-rounder once thought of as potential QB1 of their draft) Jake Haener = Taylor Heinicke ("moxie") It's not perfect, but time is a flat circle15 Dec 2024 17:45 +0000at://did:plc:drkq7zzjtp6itzdvtzlell76/app.bsky.feed.post/3ldeelgnxsk26https://bsky.app/profile/matthewparas.bsky.social/post/3ldeb5sapls2tSome pre-game reading: The Commanders were once a model of dysfunction. Now they're an example of how to turn a franchise around. https://www.nola.com/sports/saints/saints-rebuild-commanders-model/article_f276208a-b91e-11ef-abc0-332291241b93.html15 Dec 2024 16:44 +0000at://did:plc:drkq7zzjtp6itzdvtzlell76/app.bsky.feed.post/3ldeb5sapls2thttps://bsky.app/profile/matthewparas.bsky.social/post/3ld5d7ed3vc2mChase Young wishes he had more sacks. But he's fourth in the NFL in pressures. And he has some thoughts about the year he's having. “The fact I’m winning at a high rate, being disruptive is all I want to do.” https://www.nola.com/sports/saints/chase-young-pressure-not-sacks-saints/article_f092870e-b8d3-11ef-bcce-8f3b987be6a1.html12 Dec 2024 22:32 +0000at://did:plc:drkq7zzjtp6itzdvtzlell76/app.bsky.feed.post/3ld5d7ed3vc2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/matthewparas.bsky.social/post/3lcsrqbwroc2rI don't believe Luke Johnson is on Bluesky, so I'll plug his latest story on Darren Rizzi for him since it's just fantastic: https://www.nola.com/sports/saints/saints-interim-hc-darren-rizzi-going-home-to-love-and-loss-giants-new-jersey/article_1a9ee756-b459-11ef-ae48-17dd9541971c.html08 Dec 2024 17:53 +0000at://did:plc:drkq7zzjtp6itzdvtzlell76/app.bsky.feed.post/3lcsrqbwroc2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/matthewparas.bsky.social/post/3lc4fq3kz5k2iDarren Rizzi said Erik McCoy is one of the few players on the roster who could go the week without practicing and still end up playing. He called him the "exception to the rule."29 Nov 2024 20:19 +0000at://did:plc:drkq7zzjtp6itzdvtzlell76/app.bsky.feed.post/3lc4fq3kz5k2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/matthewparas.bsky.social/post/3lc4ffih3gk27Erik McCoy will be questionable for Sunday's game. He'll go through a workout tomorrow and before the game. He worked off to the side today. Interim coach Darren Rizzi called McCoy a gametime decision.29 Nov 2024 20:14 +0000at://did:plc:drkq7zzjtp6itzdvtzlell76/app.bsky.feed.post/3lc4ffih3gk27https://bsky.app/profile/matthewparas.bsky.social/post/3lc4ewzfs4c27Saints practice is over and I did not see Erik McCoy or Lucas Patrick.29 Nov 2024 20:05 +0000at://did:plc:drkq7zzjtp6itzdvtzlell76/app.bsky.feed.post/3lc4ewzfs4c27https://bsky.app/profile/matthewparas.bsky.social/post/3lc4ew23fws27“I don’t think I’ve responded to myself inside my head the best way." Alontae Taylor wants to become a star corner. But among the challenges facing him? "The only person that could stop Alontae from accomplishing what he wants to accomplish is Alontae.” https://www.nola.com/sports/saints/can-alontae-taylor-become-star-cornerback/article_87070fcc-ae05-11ef-a214-cb2eb5f83d81.html29 Nov 2024 20:05 +0000at://did:plc:drkq7zzjtp6itzdvtzlell76/app.bsky.feed.post/3lc4ew23fws27https://bsky.app/profile/matthewparas.bsky.social/post/3lbxa7lngf22bThe shovel The lunch pail The construction vest The hammer The level Darren Rizzi may look like "Bob the Builder" these days, but he's found an effective way to motivate the Saints. "It's taken on a life of its own," he said: https://www.nola.com/sports/saints/saints-tools-of-darren-rizzi/article_34ffc966-ac1c-11ef-b29d-b37ad9b894af.html?mrfhud=true27 Nov 2024 18:57 +0000at://did:plc:drkq7zzjtp6itzdvtzlell76/app.bsky.feed.post/3lbxa7lngf22bhttps://bsky.app/profile/matthewparas.bsky.social/post/3lbfdsammc22kHow would you grade the Saints' rookie class? I had some thoughts: https://www.nola.com/sports/saints/saints-rookie-report-card/article_670ae478-a752-11ef-8e3f-8b7100c54e6a.html20 Nov 2024 16:14 +0000at://did:plc:drkq7zzjtp6itzdvtzlell76/app.bsky.feed.post/3lbfdsammc22khttps://bsky.app/profile/matthewparas.bsky.social/post/3lb6q7chadk2fI asked Cesar Ruiz if he thought "Unwritten" could be an anthem of sorts for the Saints: "I don’t know what it’s about, but it’s hella good.” On a team getting its "swag back" and a player who was the epitome of that in Taysom Hill: https://www.nola.com/sports/saints/saints-taysom-hill-career-day-browns/article_f8d872ba-a524-11ef-be9c-af5711556442.html18 Nov 2024 01:07 +0000at://did:plc:drkq7zzjtp6itzdvtzlell76/app.bsky.feed.post/3lb6q7chadk2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/matthewparas.bsky.social/post/3lazgtby4fc27 “It’s great when you catch the ebb and flow of a game. You can see the rate of production increase, which is just crazy how that works.” Here’s why the Saints made a “conscious decision” to get Cam Jordan more involved after firing Dennis Allen: https://www.nola.com/sports/saints/saints-cam-jordan-increased-playing-time/article_bfd47436-a39f-11ef-9fda-1350d243220d.html15 Nov 2024 22:36 +0000at://did:plc:drkq7zzjtp6itzdvtzlell76/app.bsky.feed.post/3lazgtby4fc27https://bsky.app/profile/matthewparas.bsky.social/post/3laz54mbeuk2hI wrote about the one player the Saints couldn’t afford to lose. On Erik McCoy, his pending return and how everything changed when he was injured: t.co/2IfQ2HI1nP https://t.co/2IfQ2HI1nP15 Nov 2024 19:42 +0000at://did:plc:drkq7zzjtp6itzdvtzlell76/app.bsky.feed.post/3laz54mbeuk2h