Offseason Outlook: New Orleans Saints

AFC North: BAL | CLE | CIN | PIT NFC North: CHI | DET | GB | MIN

AFC East: BUF | MIA | NE | NYJ NFC East: DAL | NYG | PHI | WAS

AFC South: HOU | IND | JAC | TEN NFC South: ATL | CAR | NO | TB

AFC West: DEN | KC | OAK | SD NFC West: ARI | LA | SF | SEA

With the 2015 season in the rear-view mirror, we now enter the team-building phase of the league year as each organization looks to assemble a squad ready to compete for the playoffs and for a spot in Houston, the site of Super Bowl LI. Our team of writers have broken down the needs and key decisions for every team. Here, Casey Boguslaw takes a look at the New Orleans Saints.

2015 review

After missing the playoffs by a half-game in 2014, the Saints were projected by some to get back to the postseason in 2015. The Saints were arguably involved in the biggest trade of the offeason, parting ways with superstar Jimmy Graham. Despite giving up the star, most pundits believed the Saints won the trade as they received center Max Unger and a first round draft pick. With the offensive line needing vast improvement, the move for Unger was a wise move for New Orleans.

The Saints also brought in CJ Spiller to fill the Darren Sproles role, who had been traded away the previous offseason. Spiller, a former first rounder, still has tremendous speed and was supposed to give the offense a new wrinkle.

Despite the moves, the Saints began the season 0–3 and were an overtime win to a Tony Romo-less Cowboys away from being 0–5. After a three game winning streak, the Saints lost to the lowly Tennessee Titans and Washington right before their bye week. The defense gave up over 500 total yards in both games, providing enough reason for the firing of defensive coordinator Rob Ryan.

The change did not inspire confidence, as they lost the next two games after the bye week. Winning four of the final six probably did more harm than good, as the Saints draft pick “fell” from a top five to number twelve in the 2016 first round.

The Big Decision

Head coach Sean Payton is back despite many rumors that 2015 could be his last year in New Orleans. Now the rumors move to quarterback Drew Brees, but word out of the Saints camp is despite him moving into his last year of his present contract, there are no doubts that it won’t be his last year there. The drafting of Garrett Grayson in the third round of the 2015 draft and two straight postseason-less years provide argument against the veteran remaining a Saint beyond 2016.

Brees currently carries a massive cap charge of $30m, the highest ever in the salary cap era, and the Saints cannot allow him to play under that. A restructure has to be done to keep him in New Orleans not just beyond the end of his contract, but now.

Grayson, a three year starter at Colorado State, could be the future of the Saints but is currently on the Aaron Rodgers-plan of sitting behind a franchise icon until they leave. Drew Brees was still excellent in 2015 (4,870 yards 32 touchdowns), but if the Saints finish under .500 again, it may be time to begin the plan for the future.

Impending Free Agents

Jahri Evans G, Benjamin Watson TE, Kevin Williams DE, Josh Hill TE, Khiry Robinson RB

Looking at the list above, Saints fans shouldn’t be too worried about this season’s crop of free agents potentially on the move. Watson and Williams are 35 and Evans is 32 years old. Their best years are behind them and even though they all had good years in 2015, a one year contract is probably all they will be receiving from the Saints, or any other team due to their advancing age.

Josh Hill was supposed to take a step up with the loss of Graham yet only had 120 yards in 2015. It was the veteran Watson that took over as a starter, and had a nice season, but it’s likely the Saints will have a new tight end in 2016.

Khiry Robinson has shown spurts of success (4.8 yards per carry in 2014) but never for a long stretch. With Mark Ingram and CJ Spiller under contract in 2016, the cap space will need to be spent on the many other areas of the roster that need improvement.

Team Needs

OL, CB, DT, TE

In the Payton and Brees era the passing offense has always been the strength, but that needs to start from the front. With veteran Jahri Evans ageing, and possibly leaving the team in free agency, the Saints need to build around Max Unger to protect Brees and open up running lanes for Ingram and Spiller.

The Saints defense was 32nd, or dead last, in points allowed in 2015. Kevin Williams and Cameron Jordan were bright spots on the defensive line but the Saints only had 31 sacks. Smart football people always say that building a team starts from the line and both lines need work for the Saints to get back to the playoffs.

Defensive line improvement will help the 31st ranked (yards) rushing defense but the 31st ranked passing defense could also use work. Brandon Browner was brought in to help, but as the Patriots found out in 2014, Browner has not found his early success that he did with the Seahawks. The Saints only had nine interceptions in 2015. Browner actually had more defensive holding penalties with 11 on his own, part of the all-time league-record of 24 penalties accrued in a season by a single player.

X-factor addition

Coby Fleener, TE, Indianapolis Colts

Not the “sexiest” name but we almost had to go with a guard here, so deal with it.

The former second round pick did not find much success in Indianapolis but New Orleans can be a refresh for him, and his cost should not be prohibitive. Drew Brees has always used his tight end as a key part of his offense. Jimmy Graham, like Jeremy Shockey before him, has put up impressive numbers in this offense. If this move were to happen, Fleener would move way up the fantasy football rankings.