4 roster mistakes the Saints must fix in the offseason
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They’ve got another chance to prove us wrong on Sunday afternoon, but it’s looking like the New Orleans Saints misevaluated just how competitive they’d be this season. They haven’t won two consecutive games going into Week 12 and they’re ranked at third-place in maybe the worst division in the NFL this year.
So what went wrong? And how can they right the ship? Unfortunately, meaningful change won’t come about until the offseason, but their midseason woes are helpful in putting together a list of priorities come 2023. Here are four mistakes that need fixing once the season is over:
Settling for less at quarterback
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Look, they could have done worse than choosing to run it back with Jameis Winston while signing Andy Dalton as an insurance policy. Trading for Deshaun Watson would have exacerbated the salary cap and draft capital problems they’re already dealing with, and all of the Trevor Siemian tape we had to watch last year was, well, informative. But they must act more aggressively to pursue upgrades at the game’s most important position — preferably ones who are healthier, younger, and less prone to sacks and turnovers than those they ended up with, and less controversial than who they tried to acquire.
Doubling down on their defensive line philosophy
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The Saints have stubbornly stuck to their prototype at defensive end, valuing oversized players who make for naturally-stout run defenders but slow-to-start pass rushers. That’s resulted in an unproductive group that’s struggled with injuries while maintaining their playing-weight. And the interior has been built too often from the bargain bin. They’re just talent-poor at defensive tackle with too many replacement-level players taking snaps. It’s no accident that New Orleans ranks 23rd in yards per carry allowed (4.6) and 18th in touchdown runs allowed (11). Investments in faster, flexible athletes up front are needed.
Lacking juice in the running backs rotation
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New Orleans has gained 15 or more yards on just 9 rushing plays all season, and just 4 of those were thanks to a running back (Alvin Kamara; Taysom Hill had 4, and wide receiver Rashid Shaheed had 1). For perspective, they rank 7th across the league in these plays — Houston Texans rookie Dameon Pierce, drafted at No. 107 overall, has 8 of these chunk plays on his own. The Saints traded their picks at Nos. 98 and 101 to maneuver in the first round. The Saints lack a consistently explosive element in the backfield. Some of that is on the offensive line, but much of the problem lies in asking too much of Mark Ingram II at this stage in his career. Getting younger and more dynamic at this position should be a priority, which is part of a trend across the team at large.
Getting older and slower at safety
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This is probably the biggest whiff of their offseason. Tyrann Mathieu hasn’t adequately replaced what the Saints lost in Malcolm Jenkins as a position-flexible defender and leader on the team, and Marcus Maye has been a poor substitute for Marcus Williams. And let’s just not talk about the failed plan to replace C.J. Gardner-Johnson in the slot. The good news is the Saints have a history of drafting and developing talented safeties. They need to go back to that well and remember to sign them to long-term extensions next time. Investing at safety is their best route at bringing fresh legs and playmaking ability to the secondary. New Orleans ranks 4th-worst in pass completions of 20-plus yards allowed (13) after ranking 8th-best (14) last year.
