2021 NFL Offseason: New Orleans Saints

New Orleans Saints (Last Year: 12-4)

2021 NFL Season Preview:

Veteran Additions:
FB Alex Armah, TE Nick Vannett, DT Tanoh Kpassagnon, CB Brian Poole.
Early Draft Picks:
DE Payton Turner, LB Pete Werner, CB Paulson Adebo, QB Ian Book. Saints Rookie Forecast
Offseason Losses:
QB Drew Brees, FB Michael Burton, WR Emmanuel Sanders, TE Jared Cook, G Nick Easton, DE Trey Hendrickson, DT Sheldon Rankins, DT Malcom Brown, LB Alex Anzalone, CB Janoris Jenkins, CB Ken Crawley, S D.J. Swearinger, P Thomas Morstead.

2021 New Orleans Saints Offense:
For the first time since 2006, Drew Brees will not enter the season as the starting quarterback of the Saints. Brees’ final two years in New Orleans were ridden with injuries, prompting the future Hall of Fame quarterback to retire. It was a great run that would have been comprised of multiple Super Bowls had the Saints not endured some catastrophic events in the playoffs like the Minneapolis Miracle or the horrible non-pass interference call versus the Rams.

Taysom Hill and Jameis Winston will compete to replace Brees. Hill is the runaway favorite for now, but if he struggles in training camp and the preseason, Winston could emerge as the starter. Hill did well in relief of Brees last year, as his passing improved in every start he made. He’s also a huge threat as a rusher, and he’ll be coached up by one of the sharpest offensive-minded coaches in the NFL. There’s no reason to think Hill would perform poorly as Brees’ replacement.

The Saints could use Hill’s rushing ability because they don’t have much at receiver beyond Michael Thomas. Granted, Thomas is one of the top receivers in the NFL, but with the front office unable to address the No. 2 wideout situation once again, the Saints will have to try players like Tre’Quan Smith and Marquez Callaway in that spot. Smith has been a colossal disappointment, while Callaway at least had some promising moments in 2020. Meanwhile, 2020 third-rounder Adam Trautman will take over at tight end in the wake of Jared Cook signing with the Chargers.

Hill will make good use of Alvin Kamara as well, though not as much as Brees did. Kamara’s production declined when Hill was under center because Hill was able to rely on his legs and stronger arm. Still, Kamara is a dynamic threat out of the backfield who can go the distance whenever he touches the ball.

It’ll also help that Hill will be protected fairly well. The Saints have one of the top tackle tandems in the NFL, as Terron Armstead and Ryan Ramczyk are both Pro Bowl-level talents. Neither is older than 30, so they should continue to perform on an extremely high level if they can remain healthy.

There are some issues in the interior of the offensive line, however. Center Erik McCoy is just mediocre, while the guards are worse. Andrus Peat has been a perpetual liability on the Saints’ front, and the same might eventually be said of Cesar Ruiz. Chosen in the opening round last year, Ruiz struggled mightily as a rookie. NFL team sources in the NFC South told Charlie Campbell that they were glad the Saints drafted Ruiz, which was not a good sign for his NFL outlook.

2021 New Orleans Saints Defense:
The Saints maintained the worst salary cap situation in the NFL entering this offseason. Drew Brees’ retirement couldn’t even save the front office from cutting ties with some veteran defenders. The Saints consequently lost four defensive starters on this side of the ball.

Two of the departed starters were on the defensive line. Trey Hendrickson was a monstrous pass rusher for the Saints last year, logging 13.5 sacks. The Saints couldn’t afford to keep him, as Hendrickson signed a big contract with the Bengals. New Orleans still has one elite edge rusher in Cameron Jordan, but there’s some question about who will start opposite of him. Former first-round pick Marcus Davenport has been a major disappointment – he notched just 1.5 sacks in 2020 – prompting the Saints to spend another opening-round selection on the position. They drafted Peyton Turner, who has some nice upside, but was considered a reach as a day-two prospect.

Sheldon Rankins and Malcom Brown are also gone from the defensive line. Rankins was once a solid interior player, but multiple Achilles injuries have caused him to regress. Brown had a greater impact last year as a quality run-stuffer. Shy Tuttle will have to take over Brown’s role next to David Onyemata, who has made huge improvements to his game in recent years.

A worsened pass rush will adversely affect the secondary, especially with the No. 2 cornerback gone. Janoris Jenkins was a cap casualty, so the Saints will need to find someone new to start opposite of Marshon Lattimore, a terrific cornerback coming off a down year. The worst-case scenario is that the pedestrian Patrick Robinson is named the starter, but the Saints are hoping that third-round rookie Paulson Adebo impresses in training camp. Meanwhile, the Saints will continue to get good play out of slot cornerback Chauncey Gardner-Johnson.

The Saints retained both starters at safety, though that’s not necessarily a good thing. Marcus Williams is an excellent player, but Malcolm Jenkins had to be upgraded. The 33-year-old was a huge liability last year, as he was often torched. It won’t be long until he’s out of the NFL, but the Saints failed to find a viable replacement for him.

The linebacking corps, conversely, lost a couple of players in Alex Anzalone and Kwon Alexander. Demario Davis is still on the roster, which is a good thing because he’s an excellent player. However, the rest of the linebacking corps is a huge question mark. The two favorites to start with Davis are second-round rookie Pete Werner and 2020 third-rounder Zack Baun, who barely played last year.

2021 New Orleans Saints Schedule and Intangibles:
The Saints were 65-30 at home this past decade-plus, including 28-10 in the previous three years. However, they’ve suffered some horrible losses at home in the playoffs.

New Orleans didn’t score on special teams last year, but it didn’t surrender a touchdown either.

Wil Lutz is coming off a bit of a down year in which he went 23-of-28, including 1-of-3 from 50-plus.

Thomas Morstead is one of the league’s best punters, but he’s no longer on the roster. Someone named Blake Gillikin will take his place. Expect Chris Berman to make plenty of Gillikin’s Island jokes throughout the season.

The Saints don’t have a difficult slate. They’ll navigate a first-place schedule, but they’ll luck out if they don’t have to battle Aaron Rodgers when they take on the Packers in the opener. New Orleans will also have the luxury of beating up on the NFC East teams.

2021 New Orleans Saints Rookies:
Go here for the Saints Rookie Forecast, a page with predictions like which rookie will bust and which rookie will become a solid starter.

2021 New Orleans Saints Positional Rankings (1-5 stars):

Quarterbacks	Offensive Line	Secondary
Running Backs	Defensive Line	Special Teams
Receivers	Linebackers	Coaching

2021 New Orleans Saints Analysis: The Saints have been one of the best teams in the NFL over the past several seasons, but that’s about to change. Not only is Drew Brees gone; the Saints had such harsh salary-cap issues this offseason that they had to jettison four defensive starters and some quality depth on that side of the ball. They are no longer nearly as good as the Buccaneers, and even a wild-card playoff berth seems unlikely.

Projection: 5-12 (3rd in NFC South)

2020 Projection: 13-3. 2020 Actual Result: 12-4.
2019 Projection: 9-7. 2019 Actual Result: 13-3.
2018 Projection: 13-3. 2018 Actual Result: 13-3.
2016 Projection: 8-8. 2017 Actual Result: 11-5.
2016 Projection: 6-10. 2016 Actual Result: 7-9.

NFL Draft Team Grade: C- Grade

Goals Entering the 2021 NFL Draft: The Saints lost some key players this offseason, particularly on defense, thanks to their horrible cap situation. They’ll need to fill these holes on their stop unit, all while adding a second receiver to replace Emmanuel Sanders.

2021 NFL Draft Accomplishments: New Orleans was guilty of reaching to kick off the draft. Payton Turner was getting some hype entering the 2021 NFL Draft, but only as a second-round prospect. Once Greg Newsome was plucked off the board, the Saints panicked and selected Turner. He’ll help the edge rush, but New Orleans could have traded down and selected him later. The same can be said of Pete Werner, a third-round prospect taken toward the end of the second frame.

While these selections weren’t very good, the Saints’ worst pick, by far, was the fourth-rounder used on Ian Book. The Saints are already paying big money to two young quarterbacks. They had just six selections to fill their countless needs, so Book was a luxury choice they couldn’t afford to make.

I like some of the things the Saints did – Paulson Adebo was a solid value choice in the third round, and New Orleans acquired some nice sleepers late on Day 3 – but it wasn’t enough to bump up this grade too much.

NFL Draft Individual Grades:

28. Payton Turner, DE, Houston – C- Grade
Charlie Campbell was on point with his report that Payton Turner was rising up draft boards, but I didn’t think he’d go this early! I was thinking the middle of the second round, but the Saints pulled the trigger on Turner because Greg Newsome was snatched off the board. I’m all for teams upgrading their pass rush, and the Saints needed to do so in the wake of Trey Hendrickson’s departure. However, the Saints probably could’ve moved down about a dozen spots and still gotten Turner or someone of his caliber.

60. Pete Werner, LB, Ohio State – B- Grade
Pete Werner is a stout run defender who played well down the stretch this past season, but I didn’t ever have him in the second round. I had always mocked him in the third frame, but this is close enough for it to not matter much. Werner certainly fills a need in a dubious linebacking corps.

76. Paulson Adebo, CB, Stanford – B Grade
Paulson Adebo was once a mainstay of my first round, but he fell initially because of speed concerns. Then, he didn’t help himself by foolishly sitting out the 2020 season. That said, the Saints are buying low on Adebo, so they could potentially be getting a starter across from Marshon Lattimore, which would fill a big need.

133. Ian Book, QB, Notre Dame – F Grade
The Saints are paying big money to two young quarterbacks, so it makes sense that they would pick a signal-caller with this pick. OK, maybe not. The Saints have so many needs and so few resources that they couldn’t afford to make a luxury pick like this.

206. Landon Young, OT/G, Kentucky – B+ Grade
Landon Young appeared in the final couple of rounds in some mock updates. He’s an athletic offensive lineman, but isn’t very lengthy, so there’s a chance he’ll have to move to guard. This is fine, as the Saints needed some help at that position.

255. Kawaan Baker, WR, South Alabama – B+ Grade
Part of the reason why the Ian Book pick was so bad was that the Saints couldn’t address their many needs, including receiver. Better late than never, I guess. Kawaan Baker’s level of competition is a big question mark, but he’s an extremely athletic player.

Follow @walterfootball for updates.

Season Summary:
The Drew Brees era is over. Brees’ Hall of Fame career has finished with four seasons of misfortune in the playoffs. Luckily for the Saints, they were able to have their next quarterback, Taysom Hill, get some starts this past year.

Offseason Moves:

Saints sign DT Tanoh Kpassagnon

Saints sign TE Nick Vannett

Saints sign FB Alex Armah

Jaguars acquire DT Malcom Brown from Saints

Saints announce retirement of QB Drew Brees

Team Needs:

Two Safeties: Malcolm Jenkins is a huge liability in the secondary, so he must be upgraded. Meanwhile, Marcus Williams is the team’s top free agent. Franchised Marcus Williams
Wide Receiver: Emmanuel Sanders was only a temporary solution as the Saints’ No. 2 receiver, which is why he was released.
Cornerback: Janoris Jenkins was also released because of financial reasons.
Guard: The Saints have needed an upgrade over Andrus Peat for quite some time now.
Cornerback: Janoris Jenkins will turn 33 soon, so the Saints will need to get younger across from Marshon Lattimore.
Edge Rushing Depth: Trey Hendrickson is coming off a great year, so he’s going to command a big contract in free agency. Depth will be needed if he departs.
Defensive Tackle: A player will need to be added here if Sheldon Rankins leaves via the open market. Signed Tanoh Kpassagnon
Linebacker: Alex Anzalone is another linebacker who will need to be re-signed or replaced.
Backup Quarterback: Taysom Hill will start next year, so the Saints need a new No. 2 signal-caller. Re-signed Jameis Winston

Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

2021 NFL Free Agent Signings:

Alex Armah, FB, Panthers. Age: 27.
Signed with Saints

Alex Armah is a strong blocking fullback who did a great job of paving the way for Mike Davis in 2020.
Nick Vannett, TE, Broncos. Age: 28. — Signed with Saints
Tanoh Kpassagnon, DE/DT, Chiefs. Age: 27. — Signed with Chiefs

New Orleans Saints Free Agents:

Salary Cap: TBA.

Marcus Williams, S, Saints. Age: 24.
Franchised by Saints

Marcus Williams is known for surrendering the infamous Stefon Diggs touchdown, but he has developed into a terrific safety. He’s somehow still only 24 years old.
Trey Hendrickson, DE, Saints. Age: 26.
Signed with Bengals (4 years, $60 million)

Trey Hendrickson recorded 13.5 sacks in 2020 despite not being an every-down player. The sky is the limit for Hendrickson, who is only 26 years old.
Brian Poole, CB, Jets. Age: 28.
Signed with Saints (1 year)

Brian Poole was the Jets’ top cornerback last year. He’s emerged as an excellent slot man. He should get a good contract, as he still has a couple of years remaining in his 20s.
Sheldon Rankins, DT, Saints. Age: 27.
Signed with Jets (2 years, $17 million)

Sheldon Rankins didn’t look quite right in 2020. Perhaps this was because of an Achilles injury he suffered the prior year. I expect him to rebound next season.
Michael Burton, FB, Saints. Age: 29.
Signed with Chiefs

Michael Burton is an effective run blocker who paved the way for Alvin Kamara and Latavius Murray.
Janoris Jenkins, CB, Saints. Age: 32.
Signed with Titans

Janoris Jenkins did a great job of reviving his career in New Orleans after an ugly finish with the Giants. However, he turns 33 in October, so regression is coming very soon.
Alex Anzalone, LB, Saints. Age: 26.
Signed with Lions

Alex Anzalone has durability issues, but he’s a versatile linebacker who tends to cover well.
Jameis Winston, QB, Saints. Age: 27.
Re-signed with Saints (1 year, $12 million)

Jameis Winston has great ability and upside. The mental part of the game has always been lacking for him, but perhaps he learned something from Sean Payton and Drew Brees this past year.
Jared Cook, TE, Saints. Age: 34.
Signed with Chargers (1 year, $6 million)

Jared Cook caught 37 passes for 504 yards and seven touchdowns in 2020. He’s still a quality tight end, but that won’t last much longer, given his age.
Kwon Alexander, LB, Saints. Age: 27.
Re-signed with Saints (1 year)

Kwon Alexander is a talented linebacker, but will miss a chunk of the 2021 season because he tore his Achilles late in 2020.
Emmanuel Sanders, WR, Saints. Age: 34.
Signed with Bills

Emmanuel Sanders flopped in New Orleans, topping 100 receiving yards just once. He had to serve as the No. 1 receiver when Michael Thomas was sidelined, but he had average production. Turning 34 in mid-March, Sanders doesn’t have much time remaining in the NFL.
P.J. Williams, CB, Saints. Age: 28. — Re-signed with Saints (1 year, $2.3 million)
Nick Easton, G, Saints. Age: 29.
James Hurst, OT, Saints. Age: 29. — Re-signed with Saints
Thomas Morstead, P, Saints. Age: 35.
D.J. Swearinger, S, Saints. Age: 30.
Ken Crawley, CB, Saints. Age: 28.
Noah Spence, DE, Saints. Age: 27.
Johnson Bademosi, S, Saints. Age: 31.
Cameron Tom, C, Saints. Age: 26.
Josh Hill, TE, Saints. Age: 31. — Signed with Lions
Dwayne Washington, RB, Saints. Age: 27. — Re-signed with Saints
Ty Montgomery, RB, Saints. Age: 28. — Re-signed with Saints (1 year)
Craig Robertson, LB, Saints. Age: 33.
Bennie Fowler, WR, Saints. Age: 30.
Justin Hardee, CB, Saints. Age: 27. — Signed with Jets