NFL 2018 power rankings countdown No. 7: New Orleans Saints
A preview of the New Orleans Saints ahead of the 2018 season.
Check back every day for a new 2018 team preview in this year’s NFL power rankings countdown.
Today’s team is the New Orleans Saints.
7. New Orleans Saints
Keegan’s highest rated player: Drew Brees, quarterback, and Alvin Kamara, running back
Biggest strength: Drew Brees
Biggest weakness: Linebacker
Best offseason move: Signing Cameron Meredith
Worst offseason move: Trading up for Marcus Davenport
Game to circle on calendar: Week 8, at Minnesota
Breakout candidate: Sheldon Rankins, defensive line
Key players in contract years: Tom Savage, Mark Ingram, Shane Vereen, Michael Floyd, Josh Hill, Benjamin Watson, Manti Te’o, Craig Robertson, Ken Crawley, Marcus Williams, and Wil Lutz
Offensive preview
Drew Brees is now in his late 30s, but like Tom Brady there are no signs of him slowing down. As long as Brees continues to be an elite quarterback the sky is the limit for this Saints team.
The running back tandem of Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram is the best in football. Both of these running backs excel at what they do, and bring different skill sets to the table. Ingram’s suspension will weaken the backfield early on, but the Saints have enough depth to get by without him.
Michael Thomas is blossoming into a dominant number one receiver in New Orleans. This is a receiving corps with a lot of different skill sets, but Thomas is the crown jewel. Ted Ginn will still contribute as a deep threat, and Cameron Meredith is an excellent offseason addition.
The Saints have two reliable tight ends with Benjamin Watson and Josh Hill. They have not been the same at tight end since Jimmy Graham was traded, but there is no reason to write off either of these veteran players.
The pairing of Terron Armstead and Ryan Ramczyk is a premier tackle grouping, and they will be able to keep Drew Brees upright this season. The Saints are also strong on the interior with Andrus Peat, Larry Warford and Max Unger. This is one of the league’s best offensive lines.
Defensive preview
The Saints have a strong defensive line which is led by Cameron Jordan, a premier pass rusher. They have talent besides Jordan on the defensive line with 2016 first-round pick Sheldon Rankins and Alex Okafor. Rookie pass rusher Marcus Davenport has potential as well, but he is a developmental prospect that won’t make a huge impact this season.
A weak link is the linebacking corps. The Saints have veteran talent at this position, but no true difference maker. A.J. Klein will be the team’s top talent at linebacker this season.
Marshon Lattimore is a premier cornerback who could be one of the best in football over the next decade. The Saints are significantly worse in the rest of their cornerback corps, but with Lattimore there are still reasons to be optimistic.
Losing Kenny Vaccaro will not help this secondary, but there are reasons to believe that Marcus Williams will grow as a safety this season. Getting Kurt Coleman from an NFC South rival will be huge, as he is a great leader and talent.
New Orleans has potential at safety, but the biggest question mark is how Williams gets back up after his missed tackle in the divisional round against Minnesota last season.
Coaching staff/front office preview
Sean Payton is one of the best coaches in football, and this will be one of the best teams that he has had during his tenure in New Orleans. Payton could enter the discussion as a Hall-of-Fame coach if he wins another Super Bowl with Brees in New Orleans.
Mickey Loomis had done a great job during his tenure as general manager in New Orleans, and he is a key reason for the Saints’ first Super Bowl victory.
One of the key components of his legacy will be who he chooses to replace Drew Brees. The Saints have yet to draft a clear replacement for Brees and this has to be weighing heavily on Loomis. It’s a lot easier to win with Brees, and it’ll be interesting to see how Loomis builds this team without him.
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Overall outlook for 2018
The Saints’ Super Bowl aspirations are realistic this season; they were just a play away from getting to the NFC Championship Game last year. This is a team with tons of skill position talent, and a first ballot Hall-of-Famer at quarterback.