Statement Time
Dennis Allen's second season as head coach of the New Orleans Saints started in similar fashion as his first, with a one-point victory over a mediocre opponent who would ultimately not make the playoffs. The Saints even managed to start 2-0, with a three-point victory the next week over a Carolina Panthers team that would go on to win only two games last season.
Then, reality set in the following week as the Saints would lose four of the next five games en route to an average 9-8 season. Only one of their nine wins was against a playoff team, the 9-8 Tampa Bay Buccaneers that won the NFC South over New Orleans. The team was 1-5 against the six playoff teams they faced. They didn't beat any team that won more than nine games in the regular season.
Allen won two more games than his first season in New Orleans, and the team finished strong, winning four of the last five games, but the result was the same—the Saints missed the playoffs for the third straight season. The Saints lost six games by eight points or less last season. If just one of those games swung their way, they would have made the playoffs.
However, that is the main issue with this regime. Spectators are haggling over a field goal or touchdown in one game, against one team who may or may not even make the playoffs. The Saints are becoming an afterthought to the nation, a team who recently lost their legendary quarterback and coach and is still struggling to discover its new identity.
Offense
Enter Klint Kubiak. The son of former NFL head coach Gary Kubiak joined the Saints staff as the new offensive coordinator this offseason, replacing longtime Sean Payton disciple Pete Carmichael.
Kubiak served as the passing game coordinator for a San Francisco 49ers team that almost won the Super Bowl. He's served in numerous offensive coaching roles the last eight years with a stint as the offensive coordinator in Minnesota in 2021, in which quarterback Kirk Cousins (now a Falcon) had one of his best seasons. Kubiak will be tasked with improving the Saints' abysmal run game from last year, alleviating some of the pressure of Carr having to carry the offensive load via the passing game.
Mercurial wide receiver Michael Thomas is gone, but he hadn't been impactful in nearly half a decade. Taking over the number one WR, with over 1,000 receiving yards in his first two seasons, is Chris Olave, who is a star in the making. Rashid Shaheed and A.T. Perry were, at times, spark plugs last season, but the emergence of a secondary receiver alongside Olave remains a key question heading into the season.
Speaking of mysteries, what is going on with Alvin Kamara? One of the greatest offensive players in franchise history recorded his worst professional season last year. Injury, offensive schematics, or lack of a stout offensive line are possible reasons, but the man who owns, or is about to own, several franchise records is an enigma. How reliable is he entering his eighth season?
He led the Saints in rushing with just 694 yards and five touchdowns, which is indicative of the overall offensive struggles the team faced. New Orleans' "Swiss Army knife," back-up quarterback Taysom Hill, was the second leading rusher with 401 yards. That's not a good sign.
Whether it's passing or rushing, one of Saints biggest issues last season was offensive line protection. Former first round left tackle Trevor Penning was essentially benched less than half-way through the season. All-Pro right tackle Ryan Ramczyk has been less effective because of a lingering knee injury. The unit lacked cohesion last year. New Orleans drafted Oregon State tackle Taliese Fuaga in the first round to provide an infusion of youth and talent to the line.
The Saints were a top 10 scoring offense in 2023, and the talent is clearly there, but they managed to only win nine games last season. Kubiak's new voice is the key to pushing this unit to the next level.
Defense
For the fourth straight season, the Saints' defensive unit was a top 10 scoring defense, were fourth in the NFL with 29 takeaways, and were top five in third-down defense.
The defense, however, was inept at rushing the passer. The 118 pressures and 34 sacks the unit produced ranked among the lowest in the league last season. Couple that with a diminished run-defense that slid to the lower half of NFL teams last year, and that causes a problem.
The Saints signed 25-year-old defensive end Chase Young in the offseason in hopes of resolving those issues. Young recorded 7.5 sacks for Washington and San Francisco last year, his highest output since his 2020 Defensive Rookie of the Year campaign. His injury history is concerning, but the upside is huge for the former number two overall draft pick.
The strength of last year's unit was the secondary, ranking in the top 10 in passing defense despite losing Pro Bowl cornerback Marshon Lattimore to a season-ending ankle injury in Week 10. The combination of Lattimore and Paulson Adebo in the defensive backfield is potentially lethal. Along with the addition of second-round draft pick Kool-Aid McKinstry at cornerback, the Saints should once again boast a fearsome secondary.
Prediction
Despite all the Saints' shortcomings last year, they still reside in one of the softest divisions in the NFL. The Buccaneers won the NFC South with nine wins last year and they won it the year before with only eight wins. The division is there for the taking, and it's up to Allen and the Saints to finally exert some dominance and snatch it back.
The Saints have the pieces to make the playoffs, but will they?