Ranking every NFL team’s offensive supporting cast post-draft
6. New Orleans Saints
RB: Alvin Kamara, Latavius Murray (22/25)
Although Latavius Murray didn’t fill the Mark Ingram role like we thought, the Saints backfield is always spectacular. Alvin Kamara is a multidimensional back who could line up as a receiver and easily avoid tackles; he is hyper-efficient and dealt with an injury towards the end of the season. Murray is a bruiser inside the tackles, but he also has the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. This duo provides an incredible 1-2 punch for Drew Brees.
WR: Michael Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders, Tre’Quan Smith, Deonte Harris (23/25)
Michael Thomas was by far the best receiver in the league last season. He grabbed 45 more balls and accumulated 525 more yards than the next best receiver (Keenan Allen); he was a matchup nightmare and virtually unguardable. Emmanuel Sanders is a solid possession receiver and excelled down the stretch once he was traded to San Francisco. With young guys like Tre’Quan Smith and Deonte Harris rounding out this group, the Saints have a variety of weapons for what could be Drew Brees’ final season.
TE: Jared Cook, Josh Hill, Adam Trautman (19/25)
Even though Jared Cook wasn’t too notable to start the season, he excelled once Drew Brees returned from injury. Cook ended the season with 43 catches for 705 yards and nine touchdowns, setting a career-high in scores and yards per target. Josh Hill is a serviceable No. 2 tight end and Adam Trautman was drafted in the third round to potentially supersede Cook following this season. This is a talented group, but their best asset is nearly 33 years old and due for a decline.
FLEX: Taysom Hill (1/0)
Yes, the Saints get a bonus point for Taysom Hill. He’s more than a quarterback. He’s a running back, wide receiver, and tight end all in one. He’s important enough to warrant a two-year, $21 million extension, so gets a bonus point.
Offensive Line: Terron Armstead, Andrus Peat, Erik McCoy, Cesar Ruiz, Ryan Ramczyk (23/25)
The Saints offensive line has historically been rock solid, and they have improved with the addition of Cesar Ruiz in the first round. New Orleans has used a lot of resources to protect their 41-year-old quarterback, and they delivered last season by allowing the fourth-fewest sacks and second-fewest QB hits.
Total Score: 88/100
Summary: The Saints are stocked with talented skill position players all over the roster. While Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara headline the group, they will need to see big contributions this year from Emmanuel Sanders and Jared Cook. With a top-five offensive line in the league, the Saints have all they need to survive shootouts with the Buccaneers and Falcons.