What’s next for the New Orleans Saints after Wild Card loss?
Sean Payton’s team was stunned at home in the NFC Wild Card Playoffs. So what does the immediate future hold for the talented New Orleans Saints?
The New Orleans Saints were thought to be the most complete team in the NFL. And when it was all said and done, they failed to get back to the Super Bowl despite a second straight 13-win season. For the second consecutive year, Sean Payton’s club came up short in overtime in the playoffs. This time around, it was a 26-20 loss to the visiting Minnesota Vikings in the Wild Card Round.
All told, it was a year in which quarterback Drew Brees missed five games and still became the league’s all-time leader in touchdown passes. The Saints won the NFC South for the third consecutive year. Wide receiver Michael Thomas set a new NFL record with 149 receptions and the defense had its moments.
But it once again wasn’t meant to be. Now they face the 2020 offseason with a myriad of questions that must be addressed.
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So What’s Next?
Just like the situation in New England, the Saints have a decision to make on Brees. And the NFL’s all-time leader in passing yards, touchdown passes and more isn’t the only quarterback on the roster whose contract is slated to expire.
That would be Teddy Bridgewater, who made five successful starts for Payton’s club in 2019. Other notable performers that could become unrestricted free agents in March are guard Andrus Peat, safety Vonn Bell and linebacker A.J. Klein. A year ago, the Saints dealt for Giants’ cornerback Eli Apple and the former first-rounder is also slated to hit the open market.
On the whole, the club has a total of 17 potential UFAs (via Spotrac).
Biggest Offseason Concern?
There were times during 2019 that a defense that ranked 11th in the NFL in fewest yards allowed and fourth against the run was less than impressive. It was certainly the case too many times during the second half of the season and, surprisingly, too often at home.
The Saints allowed 185 points in the final eight games and 26 in the Wild Card loss to the Vikings. It also didn’t help that the offense wasn’t quite as balanced as the previous season.
New Orleans ranked 16th in the league in rushing this past season (108.6 average) one year after only five teams in the NFL gained more yards per game on the ground (126.6). So the concern that Payton’s team may be falling into some old habits.
A team-record three consecutive NFC South titles have resulted in a combined 37-11 regular-season record. But the New Orleans Saints have failed to capitalize on that success and have not gotten back to the Super Bowl. Could there be major changes on the horizon?
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The team has dropped its last two postseason games at home and a defense what was making strides in recent seasons looked spotty late in the year. They are a talented club and in a division when they are the only team to post a winning record each of the past two years. But when it is all said and done, the Saints have squandered some golden opportunities to get another NFL championship.