The offseason conjecture regarding the New Orleans Saints has kicked off, in earnest.
Dennis Allen is returning, but after that, the laundry list of questions is extensive.
From who’s calling the plays, to what draft picks the Saints will receive in compensation if Sean Payton, as expected, returns to the NFL as a head coach.
What about soon to be free agent Marcus Davenport, a player head coach Dennis Allen clearly covets, but the Saints may not be able to afford?
Can the Saints still have an impactful draft, if they don’t have a first round pick?
All good questions.
But, in the offseason, Dennis Allen has to answer this question, or all the other questions don’t really matter, and he likely won’t be around to answer those questions next year.
Who is the quarterback?
There’s no sugar coating it. The Saints can lament their inability to close out games, but it boils down to one thing. Do they have the quarterback to close them out?
The numbers don’t lie.
In Drew Brees’ final season, the Saints averaged 30.1 points per game.
In 2021, that number was 22 points a game. A year later, 19.4 points a game. When you are averaging 19.4 points a game, it is hard to win games, much less close them out.
The Saints used to be one of the most exciting teams in the NFL. But, two years after the departure of Brees, New Orleans scored 20 points or less in 9 of 17 regular season games.
The free agent crop of signal callers isn’t stellar.
It could include San Francisco’s Jimmy Garappolo, but even if it does, he will be asking for a king’s ransom. The draft could yield the Saints a surprise stellar passer in rounds two or three, but that is highly unlikely.
And, if the Saints do land a young quarterback with promise, his gestation, could be lengthy and difficult.
As the regular season ended, Cincinnati quarterback and ex LSU Tiger Joe Burrow was asked about the Bengals “Super Bowl window.” “It is open my whole career,” said Burrow.
Burrow wasn’t bragging, he was being factual.
For 15 seasons, the Saints had a first ballot Hall of Famer at quarterback.
The expectation then was, how far can the Saints go in the playoffs?
Not anymore.
The top six quarterbacks in passing yards all qualified for the players.
All six were top 10 picks in the NFL draft.
The Saints would have had the 10th pick, based on 2022’s results, but it was traded to Philadelphia.
Dennis Allen said the Saints will turn over every stone in their quarterback evaluation.
They have to get it right. If not, 2023 could like a lot like 2022.