Why the Saints’ most important offseason battle is not roster positions

Moore brought in more talented coaches to serve as his staff. Some hires included Brendan Nugent, Joel Thomas, and Scott Tolzien, but most notably, he brought in Doug Nussmeier as the Saints’ offensive coordinator while Brandon Staley was signed to become New Orleans’ defensive coordinator.

Although he did not have a full offseason under his belt, Moore meshed well with the rest of the Saints’ organization from the get-go. The 2025 draft class drew comparisons to New Orleans’ historic class of 17’ in just their rookie campaigns. They utilized their top two draft picks in hopes of immediately impacting the trenches and locking up the team’s quarterback of the future. Kelvin Banks Jr. and Tyler Shough seemingly answered that bell and then some, even though Shough’s opportunity did not come until later in the year after QB Spencer Rattler’s benching. New Orleans then went defense-heavy in the middle rounds of 2025, filling gaps and finding diamonds in the rough that are on track to play critical roles in this year’s grouping.

Fast forward one year and a late-season four-game win streak later, Moore and the majority of the new staff members are entering their first full season together in New Orleans, while last season’s rookies begin their sophomore years. In the most recent free agency, the Saints were active, signing Ryan Wright (P), Travis Etienne Jr. (RB), David Edwards (G), Noah Fant (TE), Kaden Elliss (LB), and more. Even with the departure of a strong veteran like linebacker Demario Davis (New York Jets), the Saints have to feel good about the position they put themselves in by improving the roster from 2025.

While this year’s rookies are yet to see the field, fans were exuberant about how the draft in April went for the black and gold. The Saints took Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson with the eighth overall selection in this year’s class. With pass catching a major area of need, New Orleans attacked this void heavily in the draft, also picking WRs Bryce Lance and Barion Brown in addition to tight end Oscar Delp. Staley got help on the defensive side of the ball as the Saints drafted DT Christen Miller out of Auburn while simultaneously facilitating a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders to get Tyree Wilson in exchange for minimal draft capital.

Obviously, questions and concerns remain for New Orleans, but the team just answered one of the biggest lingering issues this offseason with the recent re-signing of longtime Saint Cam Jordan. His return to the Crescent City quieted noise that he could depart the Saints this year if the two could not agree on a new deal; however, Jordan announced he will suit up “one final season,” meaning he will have spent the entirety of his professional career with one team.

This season, New Orleans will have the second-easiest strength of schedule to compete with after their fourth-place finish in the division last year. As the team continues to improve and navigate a path back to the playoffs, not having a bevy of top-tier opponents standing in their way should benefit the Saints immensely. In a division as balanced as the NFC South, New Orleans should at the very least be in contention for the title and earn a Wild Card seed year in and year out.

Seemingly, the only factor that could prevent the Saints from excelling this season is a halt in the progression of current players. If the team cannot continue to build on experience, consistency, and the city’s desire for a winner, all efforts being made now will not amount to much in the near future. The Saints had not missed out on the postseason for five consecutive years since pre-Katrina. Fans became accustomed to winning football when a certain HC-QB duo debuted in New Orleans in 2006. Ever since Sean Payton’s exit from the team and Drew Brees’ retirement, the city has been hungry for just a taste of newfound success- a hunger even one of the world’s top food destinations could not satisfy.

Saints fans are regularly claimed as one of the most loyal fan bases across the league, for better or for worse. When the dome is rocking on gameday, the folks going about their daily lives during the workweek are rocking twice as enthusiastically. New Orleans has welcomed Moore, Shough, and the rest of the team’s newcomers with open arms to this point, but at what point will missed opportunities, settling for mediocrity, and not hoisting banners grow to be enough for those very fans?

As critical as it is for the team to whittle the roster down to the most deserving of roster spots during the upcoming training camp, it is equally important for the front office and coaching staff to deliver on-field results reflective of the moral victories celebrated in press conferences and social media vocalists. The most important battle they face now is handling fans’ patience.

Blocking out the outside noise and staying on the current rebuild path is vital for the Saints’ increased productivity and hopes of avoiding irrelevancy as the “Aints” once more. The cheers may be loud on Sundays, but the jeers and groans after repeated losing seasons and team failure are louder. The short-term hope provided in Moore’s first season may be enough to hold off doubters for the time being, but now he must figure out how to maintain uncloaked skill and tap into new potential. The clock to deliver another winner for New Orleans is ticking, and the volume is growing with every passing minute.