We Aren't Blowing It Up, So What Now? (42 Viewers)

[BoNcHiE]

With the Kamara signing, it's obvious we aren't planning to blow this team up and rebuild in the off-season. That doesn't necessarily mean Dennis Allen will be retained, but there's probably a better-than-even chance he is.

With the roster, though, I think we can expect Derek Carr to be the starting QB again next year. If we had plans to dump him and his salary, we wouldn't be signing Kamara for the next two years just to create a black hole at the most important position. Honestly, I'm not mad about that. Carr is our best QB by far, he's on a team-friendly deal, and he's shown he can win when we have some semblance of an OL in front of him.

Since we aren't blowing it up, that makes getting under the cap a little simpler. We are going to simply do a series of restructures like always that will push the cap issues into 2026 and 2027.

So with that said, what do we do to fix this team? Booting Allen is the obvious answer, but player-wise, what do we need to fix this run defense? Can we build real depth in the offseason to avoid the issues we had this year? Those are the big questions heading into 2025.

 

[WhoDat?DrewDat]

We are going to do everything in our power to finish as close to .500 to get the 15th draft pick as possible.

Then we're gonna run it back next year and we all gotta act shocked when we are a .500 team again.

Welcome to purgatory.

 

[RaginSaint93]

Keep doing what you doing it will work eventually

 

[Paul]

I’m not an eloquent speaker or writer - I know what I want to say, but have difficulty expressing it.
Anyway, the ideal situation would be for the Saints to do well over these next 10 games and still revamp the coaching staff in the offseason. I don’t know everything that makes a great head coach or a not-so-great one; I don’t believe in “rah-rah” speeches and such; however, I do think that some coaches should stick with what they’ve proven to be good at. There’s nothing wrong with everyone accepting Coach Allen as a D Coordinator and not a head coach - if that what he wants to do.

I think you can do it all is what I’m saying. You can pull together and try to salvage this season with the understanding that a new head coach and staff would be more beneficial for the organization going into the 2025 season.

 

[Winter]

One thing I noticed this week is the way the Saints compete vs other teams. All of these injuries would let you believe or understand its out of Allen's control and the injuries are so bad that the team is no longer competitive. We lack depth because of the salary cap and money management issues but I wouldn't say the Saints' situation is unique. Injuries are rampant this year yet some teams find ways to remain competitive. That comes down to leadership. When the only thing you can hang your hat on as a head coach is defense and even that is falling apart, despite being the 'healthy' side of the ball, then its time to call it.

Allen needs to go. Kubiak is promising and although offensive HCs are all the rage these days, I wouldn't mind another defensive head coach and hope we have the problem of trying to retain Kubiak in the near future.

Offense needs o-line and receiver help. A good TE would be nice too.

Defense is the big question mark with its leaders at the end of their careers. DD, Cam and Badger are all question marks and not a group you can build around at this point. We need successors and we need a pass rush.

Protect the QB and get to the QB. Thats the recipe and the Saints need to address both of these areas as well as overall leadership to be on the right track next season.

 

[St. Geezy]

Sign DeVante Adams, draft Ashton Jeanty, find a big NT, get healthy, prosper.

 

[BoNcHiE]

Sign DeVante Adams, draft Ashton Jeanty, find a big NT, get healthy, prosper.

I find it hard to believe us having one of the worst run defenses in history is just about getting a nose tackle.

It has to be a combination of the scheme and the entirety of the front seven. That's a lot to fix in one offseason.

 

[St. Geezy]

I find it hard to believe us having one of the worst run defenses in history is just about getting a nose tackle.

It has to be a combination of the scheme and the entirety of the front seven. That's a lot to fix in one offseason.

I like the players we have and indeed do believe it’s about scheme, better coaching, a suitable run stuffer, and sheer effort.

Our upfront personnel isn’t THAT bad.

 

[RJS]

I find it hard to believe us having one of the worst run defenses in history is just about getting a nose tackle.

It has to be a combination of the scheme and the entirety of the front seven. That's a lot to fix in one offseason.

This was the 24th ranked rushing defense in yards in 2022.
It was the 22nd ranked rushing defense in yards in 2023.
It is currently the 29th ranked rushing defense in yards for 2024.

At some point it appears to be a feature not a bug.

 

[BoNcHiE]

I like the players we have and indeed do believe it’s about scheme, better coaching, a suitable run stuffer, and sheer effort.

Our upfront personnel isn’t THAT bad.

I think I agree. Yeah, we need a NT and must go get one. We also need an edge rusher.

But there's no excuse to be this bad against the run. It has to be mostly scheme.

 

[rail]

We are going to do everything in our power to finish as close to .500 to get the 15th draft pick as possible.

Then we're gonna run it back next year and we all gotta act schooled when we are a .500 team again.

Welcome to purgatory.

Yep. This will continue over and over, apparently.

Just a lame .500 team for the foreseeable future. That's the ceiling and no hope of being anything better either without a commitment to a true rebuild. It sucks.

 

[St. Geezy]

Yep. This will continue over and over, apparently.

Just a lame .500 team for the foreseeable future. That's the ceiling and no hope of being anything better either without a commitment to a true rebuild. It sucks.

We didn’t look like a lame .500 team when healthy. We just need to fortify things better, and maybe add a playmaker or two.

This “You must be an absolute 14-3 level juggernaut or it’s a waste and you need to blow it all up” fan culture needs to end.

As demonstrated early on before the injuries, you’re a lot closer to being dominant by being average and waiting for a chemistry/great draft/lucky free agent breakthrough than you are by completely blowing things up.

 

[Deuuuuce]

I think we need more speed on defense in the front 7. Alontae Taylor is great but it’s ridiculous that he leads the team in TFL and sacks. If your front 7 can’t get in the backfield and create havok, you’re going to be playing behind the chains all game and eventually the defense gets tired and starts giving up big runs.

I think offensively, we are headed in the right direction, but we are taking a step back on defense and it’s hard to say whether it is primarily because of scheme or personnel. It is definitely a coaching issue though. We keep drafting d-linemen early and missing big. We have guys we selected in the first two rounds of the draft who can’t even make it on to the field over a severely washed up Cam. These are guys who clearly had talent coming out, but have not improved at all under Allen’s leadership. He needs to go, like now.

 

[blotch1]

Offense could be fine for a few years, if we can add depth at o-line and WR.

The defense on the other hand is going to be getting worse. We have too many players at the end of their career and not enough money to replace them.

 

[RaginCajun83]

Get the cap manageable and hit on the draft like 2017