Which position groups held the New Orleans Saints back in 2023? Which ones carried the team? Those are the questions we set out to answer in our 2023 report card by evaluating every position on the team from quarterback to cornerback and everywhere in-between.
Here’s how we graded all of them:
Quarterback
Derek Carr saved his grade through December and January, leading the league in touchdown passes (15) through the final six weeks of the season. But we can’t overlook his struggles to start the year. Whether he wasn’t familiar enough with the playbook or struggling to communicate his audibles to the receivers and setting protection before the snap, he has very dirty hands from the Saints’ performance through the first three months. Hopefully he can carry his positive momentum into 2024 with a new offensive coordinator.
Grade: C
Running back
This was a disaster. Alvin Kamara posted the lowest rushing numbers of his career; his year started with a suspension and ended with an injury. He isn’t the only one at fault. Jamaal Williams was a bust free agent signing with his least-productive season as a pro. Kendre Miller’s struggles getting and staying healthy are a major concern. Kamara’s contributions as a receiver and Miller’s strong finish (averaging 5.6 yards per carry against an Atlanta Falcons top-10 rushing defense) save this from a failing grade, but not by much. Hiring a new position coach is the first step. They need to get more explosive and younger behind Kamara.
Grade: D
Wide receiver
Chris Olave improved on his numbers from his rookie year and Rashid Shaheed took a big step — they both rank top-five in receiving yards among second-year wide receivers. It’s gnarly after them, though. Michael Thomas was an afterthought in the passing game and Carr didn’t do a good job getting the ball to him. A.T. Perry showed some nice things down the stretch and should have a bigger role, but the Saints need better players than Keith Kirkwood and Lynn Bowden Jr. dressing on game days as the fourth and fifth receivers.
Grade: B
Tight end
This was another underperforming skills group — though some of that is on the coaches for keeping Jimmy Graham on the bench in the middle of the season, only for him to score a touchdown or pick up a first down every time he touched the ball. He may not be coming back in 2024, so the Saints need to figure out better ways to get Juwan Johnson and Foster Moreau involved. Both players regressed this season after putting up career-high numbers a year earlier. It wouldn’t hurt to get younger at this position but there are too many higher-priority needs to address first.
Grade: D
Taysom Hill
Hill is listed at quarterback but goes through practice drills with the tight ends and receivers, and he was the team’s best rushing threat throughout the season, so he gets his own section. Hill had his best year as a receiver since 2019, catching 33 passes for 291 yards and scoring a couple of touchdowns, but he remains at his best as a rusher. He ran for 401 yards and scored four touchdowns on the ground. Hill’s 692 scrimmage yards were a new personal-best. His passing line is the lowest we’ve seen in some time (6 completions for 83 yards and a score) but he didn’t throw a single interception.
Grade: A
Offensive tackle
The only thing saving this from a failing grade is Andrus Peat’s emergence as a legitimate starter once Trevor Penning was benched. Peat played surprisingly well at his college position (where he had previously struggled so badly the Saints moved him to guard in the first place). It’s rough outside of that, and his free agent status in March is concerning. It sounds like Ryan Ramczyk will be back but his degenerative knee condition has hurt his performance and sidelined him. The Saints need a real plan for addressing both tackle spots.
Grade: D
Interior offensive line
Erik McCoy was the most dependable offensive lineman the Saints had this year, but it was rough on either side of him. Cesar Ruiz had as many good moments as bad mistakes. James Hurst was the line’s weakest link throughout the season at left guard. He’s a solid backup but the Saints are doing him a disservice asking him to start 17 games at this point in his career. The Saints haven’t gotten a strong enough return for all the resources invested into this group, and it’s fair to point to coaching as a problem, but right now it appears Doug Marrone is returning for 2024.
Grade: C
Special teams
We’re focusing on the specialists here — no complaints about long snapper Zach Wood or the coverage units led by J.T. Gray. It’s debatable whether Lou Hedley’s unique Australian-style punting is worth the hassle. He and the punt team did a good job limiting returns and pinning teams deep, but the short hang time makes for a dangerously thin margin of error, and he doesn’t benefit from a penalty in case he gets run into. As for Blake Grupe; the rookie kicker shouldn’t be seen as a lock for the job again in 2024, having missed multiple kicks from inside 30 yards, but he did end the year by nailing each of his final six field goals. He also didn’t miss a point-after attempt. The Saints should bring in competition for both of them.
Grade: C
Defensive end
It was mostly bad at this position group. Carl Granderson enjoyed a breakout year but Cameron Jordan regressed hard and neither of the Saints’ recent draft picks made an impact; Payton Turner and Isaiah Foskey have a lot of work to do next year in turning that narrative around. Tanoh Kpassagnon is a fine rotation player but the Saints shouldn’t be relying on him so heavily. Dennis Allen needs to reconsider how he evaluates this position.
Grade: D
Defensive tackle
Bryan Bresee had a very encouraging rookie year, doing good work as a pass rusher and making an impact almost every week. Nathan Shepherd and Khalen Saunders were solid but unspectacular. In a vacuum, that should be good enough. But the Saints run defense fell apart in too many big moments and it’s easily the biggest weakness in Bresee’s game moving forward. Maybe we’re being too harsh but the Saints should be getting more for what they invested in this group.
Grade: C
Linebacker
Demario Davis showed his age at moments last season but for 95%, maybe 97% of the year, he just looked like his usual playmaking self. He still made a positive impact on passing downs in coverage and on blitzes. He was reliable in run defense. He’s going to inevitably hit that wall someday, but it hasn’t happened yet. What’s concerning is that the coaches didn’t figure out how to let Zack Baun do what he does best until what may have been his final six or seven games in a Saints uniform — and Pete Werner regressed as the season went on. Davis is carrying this group on his back.
Grade: B
Safety
This group was tested early and often, and they overcame some adversity together when Marcus Maye missed 10 games between an injury and a suspension. Tyrann Mathieu had another productive year and intercepted four passes. Rookie draft pick Jordan Howden had some good moments and veterans like Johnathan Abram, Lonnie Johnson, and Ugo Amadi made the most of their opportunities. It’s not clear what the long-term plan is at safety, but the Saints have them playing at a high level.
Grade: A
Nickel
The move to the slot was rough for Alontae Taylor. He had little to no experience in the role going into the season and the Saints didn’t do him any favors by having him pick it up while also competing to start outside in training camp; they’ve got to pick one or the other, and the choice should be clear after Taylor saw more targets (96) and allowed more catches (65) and yards (672), with the second-most touchdown receptions (6), in the entire NFL when guarding the slot. He’s at his best outside. They should prioritize someone who’s played the slot before and done it at a high level.
Grade: F
Corner
Paulson Adebo was outstanding this year, bouncing back in a big way after his injury-plagued 2022 season. He faced the second-most targets on the team (88) and responded by allowing just a single touchdown pass. His 18 pass deflections ranked third-most in the league and Isaac Yiadom, who started most of the year in relief of Marshon Lattimore and Adebo when the starters were hurt, had 14 of them (tying Taylor for 8th-most). Dennis Allen bet big on his cornerbacks carrying the defense, and they often came through for him.
Grade: A
