We saw it here 15 years ago: Sean Payton told Gregg Williams to run the entirety of the defense, which he did with most of the same guys Gary Gibbs couldn’t achieve with. The 2009 Saints added two major free agents that offseason: (redacted) and Jabari Greer, and made two injury replacements: Remi Ayodele, who’d had eight total tackles entering the 2009 season, in for Kendrick Clancy; and healthy Tracy Porter back for 2009 in place of ineffective Jason David. Greer’s acquisition allowed Randall Gay to move back to nickel CB in rotation with rookie Malcolm Jenkins (who also took some snaps at safety, which became his permanent position in 2011).
The 2024 Saints aren’t going to be able to go get seven new starters on offense, the way the 2006 Saints did (those new starters: Brees, Colston, Mark Campbell, Nesbit, Faine, Evans, Stinchcomb). What they’ll need to identify and hire, is a coordinator who is confident he can win primarily with the guys already on this team, plus what will most likely be some smaller-scale additions in free agency/the draft.