ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Louis Riddick, Seth Walder, and Field Yates collaborated on a future NFL power rankings project forecasting each team’s chances of success over the next three years. And the New Orleans Saints are in a unique spot — Sean Payton isn’t at the helm anymore, but he left them with a lot to work with.
They’ve got the Saints at a crossroads. ESPN’s contributors ranked the Saints at No. 16 across the NFL, with high marks for their strong overall roster (with quarterbacks ranked separately), an impressive track record in the draft, and a forward-thinking front office. But that hinges on both the health and capability of Jameis Winston to lead the way at quarterback, as well as the growth Dennis Allen has made as a coach over the last decade on Payton’s staff.
ESPN’s Louis Riddick made that exact observation, writing:
“It still comes down to the QB position for this team, both in 2022 and beyond. How will Jameis Winston return from the torn ACL in his left knee that ended his 2021 season? I would feel better if Payton was still calling the shots, but with Allen now running the show and offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael in full control of the offense, the Saints are in unfamiliar territory for the first time in a very long time”
There’s a lot to like about the Saints as things stand: they’ve only got four projected starters on the wrong side of 30 in defensive end Cameron Jordan, linebacker Demario Davis, safety Tyrann Mathieu, and left tackle James Hurst, and much of their young talent is under contract for the foreseeable future. Having foundational pieces like cornerback Marshon Lattimore and right tackle Ryan Ramczyk signed to long-term deals while entering the prime of their careers is huge.
And the Saints should continue to field competitive teams with general manager Mickey Loomis empowering college scouting chief Jeff Ireland and salary cap pioneer Khai Harley to innovate. There’s a strong possibility one or both of those lieutenants get promoted to G.M. jobs with other teams in the years ahead, but for now they’re very much giving New Orleans a competitive edge. So long as they’re in the front office the Saints will be able to replenish and reload year after year.
So how do the other NFC South teams stack up? The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the only squad ranked higher than New Orleans, clocking in at No. 8, which feels weird considering this is a three-year outlook and the Bucs’ hopes lie in Tom Brady keeping them relevant (and, yeah, he’s 43 and entering the last year of his contract after briefly retiring once already this offseason). But Tampa Bay G.M. Jason Licht is annoyingly good at his job and first-year head coach Todd Bowles is much more competent than his previous run with the New York Jets would lead you to believe. Odds are they’ll remain a problem post-Brady just like the Saints have been post-Drew Brees.
As for the other two NFC South teams: I’m delighted to report that ESPN ranks the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons all the way down at Nos. 31 and 32 respectively, putting the Saints’ remaining rivals at dead-last around the NFL. Between poor quarterback situations, subpar roster makeup, gnarly draft histories, and a hot seat for at least Carolina’s head coach, there isn’t much for those two franchises to look forward to. If the Saints can get what they expect out of Allen and Winston they should continue to compete with Tampa Bay for the division title not just in 2022, but in the years ahead.
