2017 New Orleans Saints Preview
With the second team in the NFC South, I will be reviewing the off-season of the most enigmatic team in the division, the New Orleans Saints. The Saints have struggled on defense the past few seasons, trying to return to the playoffs after winning that Super Bowl in 2009. The Saints always add more defensive talent, but for some reason it remains a black hole where defensive stars lose their careers. This year, the Saints again believe they have improved defensively, but have they really?
DRAFT RECAP
To start off, the Saints traded WR Brandin Cooks to New England for a first and third round selection. Those players turned out to be T Ryan Ramczyk and DE Trey Hendrickson, and both can potentially wind up starting for the Saints. The first selection, however, was CB Marshon Lattimore, and he could instantly be their top corner. They also took RB Alvin Kamara in round two, which makes little sense with the depth they have, but now they are very deep at RB. LB Alex Anzalone was the other third round selection, and he'll likely be a backup OLB.
FREE AGENCY
The Saints had an active free agency, and paid the most money to RG Larry Warford from Detroit. That wasn't the biggest name to go to New Orleans, though, that belongs to RB Adrian Peterson, who joins them from Minnesota. They also stole a few players from the rival Panthers, LB AJ Klein and WR Ted Ginn Jr. ILB Manti Te'o comes over from San Diego, and DE Alex Okafor from Arizona. The Saints also signed a couple more Detroit Lions, in TE Clay Harbor and S Rafael Bush.
PLAYERS LOST
The Saints obviously lost Cooks in the trade with New England, and they didn't really lose a lot more. S Jairus Byrd and LB Paul Kruger are still available in free agency, but those aren't huge losses anymore. Longtime G Jahri Evans signed with Green Bay after being replaced by Warford, and fellow G Tim Lelito is now in Tennessee. OLB Kasim Edebali and RB Tim Hightower have also moved on to new teams.
STRONGEST POSITION
When Drew Brees is your QB, that's obviously the strength of the team. However, I'm going outside the box and choosing the running game instead. With the additions of Peterson and the rookie Kamara to a backfield that already contains Mark Ingram, it gives New Orleans a very solid backfield. Throw in FB John Kuhn for pass blocking and goal-line touches, and New Orleans literally has it all in the backfield.
WEAKEST POSITION
The Saints' receivers aren't as great as they used to be, for now, but I'm sticking with the defense. The injury bug hurt the defense last season, but the one that appears to have the least depth is corner. Delvin Breaux and Marshon Lattimore are there, but the Saints don't have much else. The battle for the nickel cornerback spot and beyond is going to be interesting, and right now the Saints don't have a clear-cut solution.
FIVE MOST IMPORTANT PLAYERS TO THE SAINTS' SUCCESS
QB Drew Brees, WR Michael Thomas, DT Sheldon Rankins, OLB Stephone Anthony, CB Marshon Lattimore
The Saints have spent a lot of draft capital on the defense over the past few seasons, and the three players mentioned (Rankins, Anthony and Lattimore) along with safeties Vonn Bell and Kenny Vaccaro need to play like the high draft picks they are. Forget about the free agent players, the draft picks need to step up and give support to the defense. Drew Brees is obviously the life blood of this team, and Michael Thomas needs to become a number one receiver now. He put up big numbers as a rookie, but this season he needs to turn into what Cooks was, and Marques Colston before him.
PREDICTIONS
The Saints have a resemblance of a playoff roster, but they have fooled me before. The offense should be fine, and more balanced than usual, and the defense has options in the front seven. The problem is, they are in the toughest division in the NFC, and maybe even the toughest in the NFL. The Saints are more likely to finish last than first, but don't be surprised if it takes them the whole season to do so.
