(QB Derek Carr – USA Today Sports)
Key Players Returning:
QB Derek Carr, RB Alvin Kamara, WR Chris Olave, WR/RS Rashid Shaheed, TE Juwan Johnson, OC Erik McCoy, OG Cesar Ruiz, OT Trevor Penning, OT Ryan Ramczyk, DE Carl Granderson, DE Cameron Jordan, DE Payton Turner, DT Bryan Breese, DT Khalen Saunders, DT Nathan Shepherd, LB Demario Davis, LB Pete Werner, CB Paulson Adebo, CB Marshon Lattimore, NB Alontae Taylor, FS Jordan Howden, SS Tyrann Mathieu, PK Blake Grupe, and PT Lou Hedley.
Key Players Departing:
WR Michael Thomas (UFA), OG Andrus Peat (Raiders), DE Malcolm Roach (Broncos), and CB Isaac Yiadom (49ers).
Key Players Added:
WR Equanimeous St. Brown (Bears), WR Cedrick Wilson Jr. (Dolphins), DE Chase Young (49ers), and LB Willie Gay (Chiefs).
(OT Taliese Fuaga – Getty Images)
Draft Picks:
Round 1: Pick 014 – OT Taliese Fuaga (Oregon State)
Round 2: Pick 041 –CB Kool-Aid McKinstry (Alabama)
Round 5: Pick 150 – QB Spencer Rattler (South Carolina)
Round 5: Pick 170 – WR Bub Means (Pittsburgh)
Round 5: Pick 175 – LB Jaylan Ford (Texas)
Round 6: Pick 199 – DT Khristian Boyd (Northern Iowa)
Round 7: Pick 239 – OT Josiah Ezirim (Eastern Kentucky)
2023 Results:
W01 TITANS W 16-15
W02 @ Carolina W 20-17
W03 @ Packers L 17-18
W04 BUCCANEERS L 9-25
W05 @ Patriots W 34-0
W06 @ Texans L 13-20
W07 JAGUARS L 24-31
W08 @ Colts W 38-27
W09 BEARS W 24-17
W10 @ Vikings L 19-27
Bye Week
W12 @ Falcons L 15-24
W13 LIONS L 28-33
W14 PANTHERS W 28-6
W15 GIANTS W 24-6
W16 @ Rams L 22-30
W17 @ Buccaneers W 23-13
W18 FALCONS W 48-17
Team Info:
2023 Overall: 9-8 (2nd in NFC South)
Home: 5-3
Road: 4-5
South: 4-2
NFC: 6-6
AFC: 3-2
Head Coach: Dennis Allen
New Orleans: 16-18
Career: 24-46
Playoffs: 0-0
(WR Chris Olave – Getty Images)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Derek Carr (375-548, 3878 yards, 68.4%, 7.1 avg., 25 TD, 8 Int.)
Rushing: Alvin Kamara (180 car., 694 yards, 3.9 avg., 5 TD)
Receiving: Chris Olave (87 rec., 1123 yards, 12.9 avg., 5 TD)
Yards After Catch: Alvin Kamara (501)
TD’s Scored: Alvin Kamara/Rashid Shaheed (6)
Sacks: Carl Granderson (8.5)
Tackles: Demario Davis (121)
Interceptions: Paulson Adebo/Tyrann Mathieu (4)
Pass Deflections: Paulson Adebo (18)
Tackles For Loss: Carl Granderson (14)
Forced Fumbles: Paulson Adebo (2)
Kick Returns: Rashid Shaheed (18 ret., 384 yards, 21.3 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Rashid Shaheed (25 ret., 339 yards, 13.6 avg., 1 TD)
Kicking: Blake Grupe (30-37 fg/fga., 81%, 40-40 xp/xpa., 130 pts.)
Punting: Lou Hedley (75 punts, 3224 yards, 43.0 avg., 31 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 4 Derek Carr
RB: 41 Alvin Kamara
WR: 13 Equanimeous St. Brown
WR: 12 Chris Olave
WR: 22 Rashid Shaheed
TE: 83 Juwan Johnson
LT: 75 Taliese Fuaga |R|
LG: 64 Nick Saldiveri
OC: 78 Erik McCoy
RG: 51 Cesar Ruiz
RT: 71 Ryan Ramczyk
KR: 22 Rashid Shaheed
PK: 19 Blake Grupe
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 96 Carl Granderson
DT: 83 Nathan Shepherd
DT: 99 Khalen Saunders
DE: 94 Camerson Jordan
LB: 20 Pete Werner
LB: 56 Demario Davis
LB: 6 Willie Gay
CB: 29 Paulson Adebo
CB: 23 Marshon Lattimore
FS: 31 Jordan Howden
SS: 32 Tyrann Mathieu
PR: 22 Rashid Shaheed
PT: 15 Lou Hedley
(CB Paulson Adebo – AP Photo)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: A
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: C
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: A
Kickers: A
Punters: B
Schedule:
09/08 PANTHERS | New Orleans leads the series 31-28. The Saints are 13-8 since 2014, and their last series home loss (7-18) was in 2022.
09/15 @ Cowboys | New Orleans trails the series 13-18. The Saints are 2-3 since 2014, and they lost (17-27) the last meeting between teams in 2021.
09/22 EAGLES | New Orleans trails the series 16-19. The Saints are 3-3 since restarting the series in 2015, and they won (20-10) the last meeting between teams in 2022.
09/29 @ Falcons | The series is tied 55-55. The Saints are 12-8 since 2014, and their last series road win (27-26) was in 2022.
10/07 @ Chiefs | New Orleans trails the series 5-7. The Saints lost (29-32) the last meeting between teams in 2020, and their last series win (30-20) dates back to 2008.
10/13 BUCCANEERS | New Orleans leads the series 40-25. The Saints are 12-8 since 2014, and their last series home win (36-27) was in 2021.
10/17 BRONCOS | New Orleans trails the series 3-9. The Saints won (31-3) the last meeting between teams in 2020.
10/27 @ Chargers | New Orleans trails the series 6-7. The Saints won (36-27) the last meeting between teams in 2020, and their last series loss (17-43) dates back to 2004.
11/03 @ Panthers | The Saints last series road loss (14-22) was in 2022.
11/10 FALCONS | The Falcons last series home loss (25-27) was in 2021.
11/17 BROWNS | New Orleans trails the series 6-13. The Saints are 2-1 since 2014, and they won (17-10) the last meeting between teams in 2022.
12/01 RAMS | New Orleans trails the series 35-44. The Saints are 3-4 since restarting the series in 2016, and their last series win (27-20) was in 2022.
12/08 @ Giants | New Orleans trails the series 15-17. The Saints are 3-2 since restarting the series in 2015, and their last series loss (21-27) was in 2021.
12/15 COMMANDERS | New Orleans trails the series 11-17. The Saints are 3-1 since restarting the series in 2015, and they won (33-22) the last meeting between teams in 2021.
12/23 @ Packers | New Orleans trails the series 10-18. The Saints are 3-2 since 2014, and their last series win (38-3) was in 2021.
12/29 RAIDERS | The series is tied 7-7-1. The Saints won (24-0) the last meeting between teams in 2022, and their last series loss (24-34) was at the prior meeting in 2020.
01/05 @ Buccaneers | The Saints last series road loss (16-7) was in 2022.
Predictions:
Home: 3-6
Away: 0-8
DIV: 2-4
NFC: 3-9
AFC: 0-5
Overall: 3-14 (4th in NFC South)
Series Histories: Histories are from the inception of the first Super Bowl season through present day. Meetings prior to 1966 are not included. Playoff wins are included in the year the season took place. For example, if a team won a wildcard game in January of 2024, the game will be listed under the 2023 season.
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