Jeff Duncan: Inside the Saints Culture Issues
If there truly is a "culture" problem within the locker room, how do you run DA back? He does not give you any exceptional X's and O's component. He's not a ra-ra guy to make players run through a wall for him. What exactly is his best quality? Superior defense? Well, it didn't look like it against the better teams.
Kamara openly criticizing the identity of team. The whole offense gives him the middle finger. Cam Jordan says "he's our coach" with no support of him. The list goes on. How our General Manager doesn't see the writing on the wall is beyond me. Personally, I think he sees it and knows.....but either wants to save money or he does not want to admit he was wrong. Too many signs pointing to DA not having control or respect of the team. Saints will win 5-6 games next year and he gets fired mid year or at the end of the season.
First, I want to say that I'm not happy with DA coming back for another season and if PC is back without additional help (Gruden - for better or worse) then it's even worse.
I think what you've said is somewhat part of it. In addition to what you've said, we are not an attractive draw for a top head coach right now. We have an aging roster, big salary cap problems, and not a lot of prime draft stock for next year. That's a rough way for a new head coach to start. If you bring in a new head coach right now to satisfy fans, you're likely looking again in 2 years because the fans are restless with 2 more years of failure. DA really feels like a multi-year interim head coach.
There are probably several players that are looking to leave - the speculated "dissenters" - Kamara, Thomas, Lattimore, (maybe Olave?) and there might be a few more that are already on their way out (speculating Jameis, Graham). If Kamara restructures the way Lattimore did, that will be telling. If Olave is a dissenter, he needs to get that out of his head, because he's contractually tied to the Saints for 3 more years on a rookie deal. I think the team is committed to Carr and he will likely be a restructure that allows the team to move on from other high contracts to prepare for the future. Getting some draft capital out of Kamara and Lattimore also helps in the future.
I do think that Loomis sees the writing on the wall, but he can't come out and say it. He has to present the brightest picture possible, even if we're not buying it. I think we will see a change this off-season that most of us won't like short term because we see the potential in what could have been this season. I agree with you about the win potential next season, it will likely be low for 2024. I think it won't be great in 2025 either because I expect DA to be fired at the end of next season. The new head coach will still not be in a great position and we'll likely be really bad again in 2025, but will have a full slate of draft picks, minus the 7th rounder which was traded to Houston for Mark Ingram, which seems like 100 years ago. The 2025 and 2026 drafts for us will likely include really high first round picks. The 2025 pick could be the incoming coach's QB of the future (or we could wait for Manning in 2026). I don't expect us to draft a QB this year, even if one falls to us. I think the future is bleak for a couple more seasons, with 2026 really being the start of something new and better.