NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
2025 Record - 6-11-0
Head Coach - Kellen Moore
2025 Offensive Rank - 314 YPG (23rd); Rushing - 94 YPG (28th), Passing - 220 YPG (13th) SCORING - 18.0 PPG (28th)
2025 Defensive Rank - 300 YPG (9th); Rushing - 121 YPG (19th), Passing - 179 YPG (4th) SCORING - 22.5 PPG (16th)
Key Player Additions - Travis Etienne, Jr. (RB), David Edwards (OL), Anfernee Jennings (LB), Noah Fant (TE), Kaden Elliss (LB), Tyree Wilson (DL)
Key Player Losses - Demario Davis (LB), Luke Fortner (OL), Taysom Hill (TE), Foster Moreau (TE), Alontae Taylor (DB), Jonah Williams (DL)
OFFENSE - Tyler Shough will be the starting quarterback and in his rookie season he had 2,384 passing yards with ten touchdowns and six interceptions. Spencer Rattler backs him up and in 2025 he had 1,586 passing yards with eight touchdowns and five interceptions. Travis Etienne, Jr. will be the running back after five seasons with Jacksonville. In 2025, Etienne rushed for 1,107 yards (4.3 YPC) and scored seven touchdowns. Alvin Kamara missed six games last season, but led the Saints with 471 rushing yards (3.6 YPC) and scored one touchdown and also had 33 receptions for 186 yards. Devin Neal had 206 rushing yards (3.6 YPC) and two touchdowns. Chris Olave leads the wide receivers and he made 100 receptions for 1,163 yards and nine touchdowns last season. Also contributing will be Devaughn Vele (25, 293, two TD), rookie Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State), Trey Palmer and tight ends Juwan Johnson (77, 889, three TD) and Noah Fant.
DEFENSE - Edge rushers Cameron Jordan (10 1/2 QB sacks) and Chase Young (ten sacks) lead the way on the line along with Bryan Breese (2 1/2 sacks), Nathan Shepherd and Davon Godchaux. The linebackers are Kaden Elliss (107 tackles with Atlanta), Carl Granderson (six sacks) and Pete Werner (81 tackles) and the secondary features safeties Justin Reid, Julian Blackmon and Jonas Sanker, who had two picks last season. The cornerbacks are Quincy Riley, Kool-Aid McKinstry (three interceptions) and rookie T.J. Hall (Iowa). The Saints had 45 quarterback sacks last year and ten interceptions while ranking ninth in total defense while allowing 22.5 points per game.
2026 SEASON OUTLOOK - After a rough 1-8 start last year, the Saints finished strong, going 5-3 which included a four-game win streak in December with rookie Tyler Shough starting at quarterback. Head Coach Kellen Moore is looking for the team to continue the momentum this season and compete for the NFC South title, which Carolina won last year with a losing record.
Shough did a good job and showed leadership as the starter and now has two running backs to go with a top notch wide receiver in Chris Olave. The team didn't re-sign Taysom Hill, who for nine seasons provided the team with rushing and receiving skills that kept opponents off guard. A bounce back season from running back Alvin Kamara would be a big boost after he dealt with a knee sprain last season that dropped his numbers. The defense was good, especially against the pass (4th in NFL) and the Saints were in the top ten with 45 sacks. Getting more turnovers would help (minus-4 in that category in 2025) and the team is replacing two starters from a year ago in the back seven on defense.
The Saints haven't made the playoffs in six years (Hall-of-Fame quarterback Drew Brees last season) so they are hungry to get back after a late season surge showed they have life. Getting off to a better start in 2026 would be huge and on paper it looks doable after the first two games (on the road against Detroit and Baltimore) as they play five teams that had losing records last year and their bye comes after a game in Paris, France against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Saints could very well win the NFC South and make the playoffs. The key this year will be how much progress QB Tyler Shough can make after showing good play in the second half last season.
TEAM SCHEDULE
Week One - at Detroit
Week Two - at Baltimore
Week Three - vs. Las Vegas
Week Four - vs. Atlanta
Week Five - vs. Minnesota
Week Six - at N.Y. Giants
Week Seven - vs. Pittsburgh (Paris, France)
Week Eight - BYE
Week Nine - vs. Cleveland
Week Ten - vs. Carolina
Week Eleven - at Chicago
Week Twelve - at Cincinnati
Week Thirteen - vs. Green Bay
Week Fourteen - at Carolina
Week Fifteen - at Tampa Bay
Week Sixteen - vs. Arizona
Week Seventeen - at Atlanta
Week Eighteen - vs. Tampa Bay
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