Saints GM Mickey Loomis impressed after Derek Carr’s first start, saying the QB ‘made some plays that we haven’t seen made here for a while’
There weren’t many national analysts who were blown away by Derek Carr’s first start with the New Orleans Saints, but general manager Mickey Loomis was pleased by what he saw on Sunday.
Loomis spoke about Carr’s performance on the Saints Coaches Show with WWL Radio this week, where he made time to push back on the narrative that Carr just managed the game. He sees Carr as an asset who elevates the offense more than the quarterbacks who preceded him.
He explained his reasoning: “I mean, he made some plays that we haven’t seen made here for a while. Off-platform throws, plays breaking down, him solving problems. He did a lot of really good things.”
We’ve talked before about Carr’s effectiveness in this game, even if the Saints didn’t score a ton of touchdowns. He posted the highest net passing yards total (accounting for yards lost to sacks) in a win since Drew Brees was running the offense. He’s someone the coaching staff trusts more than Andy Dalton, Jameis Winston, Trevor Siemian, and the other fill-ins to take the field post Brees.
Obviously a 16-15 score isn’t going to wow many people. But the Saints have a good foundation to build off of here. If Carr can continue to efficiently get the ball to his receivers and navigate pressure, they’ll make real strides once the offensive line and running game get up to speed. Having one of the league’s best defenses to lean on certainly helps.
Mickey Loomis issued statement on the passing of Hall of Fame executive Gil Brandt, acknowledging his influence on the sport and his own career:
The NFL is mourning the loss of one of its own this week, upon news of Gil Brandt’s death in Dallas. Brandt, 91, was an innovator in pro football who spent decades working in personnel departments around the league — rising to prominence as an architect of the Dallas Cowboys, where he ran the scouting department from 1960 to 1988. He was selected for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019.
New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis issued a statement remembering Brandt’s influence on the sport and his own career:
“I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Gil Brandt. He was a legend, icon and pioneer of our industry. I first met Gil in 1984, at a combine that the Cowboys, Bills, Seahawks and 49ers conducted. Gil was the architect of that combine and his influence can still be seen, not only in the current combine, but also in the way that teams evaluate college prospects today. He was keen on not just understanding the metrics of players, but also the intangible qualities that would lead to their success. He had an uncanny ability to recall the smallest details about a person. He helped so many people get started in their careers in the NFL and then continued to guide and mentor them. I am grateful to be included in that group. He was a great friend, a true Hall of Famer and he will be sorely missed.”
Brandt has been credited with developing a scouting and evaluation process which became standard around the league, and he was also influential in the annual NFL Scouting Combine as a hub for pre-draft workouts and interviews. His fingerprints are still seen all around the pro football world. He’ll be missed by many who knew him, including Loomis.
Mickey Loomis reflected on his toughest Saints roster cuts, saying there isn’t one specific player that was the hardest to part with so much as a recurring archetype:
The annual NFL roster cuts deadline is coming up on Tuesday, and it’s an unpleasant process for all involved; not just the players losing their jobs, but team personnel like New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis, who has to be the bearer of bad news to dozens of young men.
Loomis recently appeared on Chris Long’s Green Light Podcast and fielded a number of questions, but the most difficult to answer concerned these roster cuts. Long asked Loomis which release had been the toughest in his Saints tenure, to which the league’s most-experienced GM responded carefully. From his point of view, there isn’t one specific player that was the hardest to part with so much as an archetype he’s run into more often than he’d like.
“Yeah, oof, boy. Good question,” Loomis exhaled, gathering his thoughts. “There’s a lot of them. And the toughest cuts are always the veteran player who’s been with you if not his whole career, a long time. You just — it’s tough emotionally to let someone go who’s contributed so much to your team, your community, the building.
“These guys, they’re great people. I think NFL players, they’re high achievers, they’re intelligent, they’re just great people with very few exceptions. And so they become part of your family. They’re appreciated by the secretaries, by every person in your building. So when you finally have to say, hey, you’re probably not good enough anymore, it’s time to go? That, that’s hard. That’s really hard.”
Loomis pointed out that these splits sometimes lead to discontent in the fanbase — as was the case with Jimmy Graham, who the Saints traded away years ago. He says he’s heard about it from fans everywhere, including his daughter, who continued to support Graham and wore his Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, and Chicago Bears jerseys as his NFL career continued away from New Orleans.
So while getting Graham back in black and gold was something that’s sparked a lot of positivity inside and outside the team facility, Loomis acknowledged how rare these reunions can be: “But those kinds of things are tough. Whether it’s a trade or letting someone go, it’s like losing a piece of your family sometimes.”
Moving on from franchise fixtures like Graham is something Loomis knows all too well. He’s had to break the bad news to fan-favorites like former Saints punter Thomas Morstead (190 games played for New Orleans), All-Pro guard Jahri Evans (169 games), franchise receiving leader Marques Colston (146 games), and a host of Super Bowl heroes like the late Will Smith, Jonathan Vilma, Roman Harper, Jabari Greer, Pierre Thomas, and Lance Moore, among many others.
It’s not an appealing part of the job. And it’s something Loomis and his staff — including recently-promoted assistant general manager Khai Harley will have to fulfill again in the days ahead. For all the personal connections and familial ties that football creates, it’s a stark reminder that, at the end of the day, it’s still a business.
Saints GM Mickey Loomis isn’t eager to cut more deals with his Eagles counterpart Howie Roseman, having gotten burned in a couple of big recent trades:
There isn’t a longer-tenured general manager in the NFL than Mickey Loomis — and the New Orleans Saints’ top decision-maker has learned that some deals may not be worth making when certain executives around the league call him up. He shouldn’t answer a phone call from the 215 area code ever again in case Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman is on the line. He admitted as much during an interview with former Eagles defensive end Chris Long on the Green Light Podcast.
Loomis singled Roseman out as one rival executive whose interest now gives him pause — if this guy is calling about trading for a player or swapping draft picks, where’s the catch? What does Roseman know that Loomis doesn’t? Is he about to get fleeced?
“Well I think Howie Roseman is one of those guys, he’s very smart,” Loomis laughed, smiling thinly. “Look, Howie and I have done some deals in the past. He’s really a bright guy. He’s done a great job in Philly. But he’s also one of those guys where I have to keep both hands in my back pockets when I’m talking to Howie. And I mean that in the most complimentary way.”
Roseman has gotten the better of Loomis and the Saints a little too often in recent years. He acquired C.J. Gardner-Johnson after contract talks collapsed in New Orleans for a couple of late-round draft picks (one of which he’ll get back as a compensatory pick after failing to agree to a long-term extension with Gardner-Johnson, who signed with the Detroit Lions in free agency). That’s after Roseman talked Loomis into trading multiple early-round picks in subsequent draft classes for a 2022 first-rounder that became Trevor Penning, who missed most of his rookie year with injuries. And that pick became a top-10 selection in 2023. Loomis is known for aggressively trading up in the draft, sometimes to his detriment, and it’s something Roseman has taken advantage of.
Long asked how Roseman compares to one of his other former bosses: New England Patriots head coach and de facto GM Bill Belichick, who Loomis has also dealt with often over the years.
Loomis reflected, “It’s all business (with Belichick). But Bill’s really straightforward and I appreciate that about him. He’s really straightforward about what he wants, and what he’ll do, and if it works great, if it doesn’t, he’s fine with that. So I like doing business with those guys.”
All told it’s a very candid and informative interview from Loomis. Long does a great job asking engaging questions and touching on Loomis’s NFL career before he came to New Orleans, when his father Howie Long was bullying the Seattle Seahawks that gave Loomis his first job in pro football. Give it a listen.
The Saints are not finished tweaking their roster, but Mickey Loomis says he’s not losing sleep over it. Where are they looking for more upgrades?
The New Orleans Saints opened training cap by signing several veteran players to reinforce the depth chart, including a pair of veteran offensive guards in Trai Turner and Max Garcia (as well as a reunion with their former Pro Bowl tight end Jimmy Graham). Those were all moves that general manager Mickey Loomis characterized as guys with proven performance who can compete for roster spots during his first press conference.
But they aren’t finished just yet. The Saints also brought in a half-dozen defensive linemen for a group tryout before camp, and Loomis acknowledged that there are other roster spots they would like to add another proven player or two. But are there any areas of need on his mind?
“Nothing glaring,” Loomis said, choosing his words carefully. “There’s probably a couple of spots, I don’t want to identify them. There’s a couple where I wouldn’t mind having another player that has played in the NFL. But nothing glaring that I’m losing sleep over.”
So which positions could Loomis be alluding to? Let’s look at the depth chart and areas where there are more younger, inexperienced players than established veterans.
Linebacker jumps off the page. Demario Davis is the only player in the group with more than 30 career starts; Pete Werner has only played 27 games through two years (out of 34 potential starts) while Zack Baun (8 starts in 45 games), Andrew Dowell (no starts in 34 games), Ty Summers (1 start in 52 games), and Ryan Connelly (1 start in 31 games) are all better known for their efforts on special teams than quantity of reps on defense. That’s also the case for second-year pro Nephi Sewell, while rookies Anfernee Orji and Nick Anderson are relative unknowns, as is D’Marco Jackson as he returns from a season-ending injury.
There are other cases to be made, like at defensive end where Cameron Jordan is the sole established presence, ahead of Tanoh Kpassagnon (34 starts in 84 games) and Carl Granderson (7 starts in 54 games). Defensive tackle could also use another piece — Nathan Shepherd and Khalen Saunders are a solid pair of veterans, but they’ve started a combined 17 of their 111 career regular season games. The Saints are putting a lot of pressure on young draft picks like Bryan Bresee, Isaiah Foskey, and Payton Turner to fill out the depth chart along the defensive line, which leads to uncertainty.
It would be nice to have someone else with a strong NFL resume in either group, but as Loomis said, it’s not worth losing sleep over with so many young, developing players in the pipeline. Don’t be shocked if more moves are on the way, but maybe don’t look out for anything earth-shaking, either.
Mickey Loomis and Dennis Allen say they see a ‘difference in maturity’ in Jimmy Graham after a decade away from the Saints:
New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis fielded questions from local media during his opening press conference at the start of training camp, and naturally many inquiries focused on the return of tight end Jimmy Graham. Loomis said that Graham returned to the team as a more mature player after a decade away from New Orleans.
“Jimmy was a popular player, he should have been a popular player, he was spectacular for us. He represented himself and the organization (well), he’s done that every place he’s been,” Loomis began, chuckling that his daughter had never forgiven him for trading her favorite player.
Loomis continued, “It’s interesting, I can see the difference in maturity that, from now as opposed to when he was with us, and we traded him, and his experiences. He’s a really highly intelligent player. Understands himself and the team dynamic. There’s a lot of things about it that are appealing, he’ll be a nice addition to our team and in the locker room especially.”
That’s a sentiment head coach Dennis Allen agreed with, saying after Graham’s first practice on Wednesday: “It was great to see him back out here. The great thing about Jimmy is I think he’s grown and matured from his time here. He’s got a very workmanlike attitude. Like he told me, ‘Look I just want to come here and contribute any way I can.’ He’s coming into this thing with the right attitude.”
Speculation swirled for years in the wake of the trade that the Saints sent Graham to Seattle after he became a problem, or a locker room cancer, but that’s a narrative Loomis made sure to squash: “He was never a problem in our locker room, not at all. He was well-liked by both our staff and our players. I wouldn’t say that at all. It was just a decision we made at the time, what we were putting in the position that we valued, just a lot of variables involved.”
How the workload ultimately splits is, for now, uncertain. Juwan Johnson remains at the top of the depth chart as an ascending receiving threat. Foster Moreau was signed to upgrade Adam Trautman’s spot as the primary inline blocking tight end, but he’s an accomplished receiver, too. Graham is probably best suited for a smaller package of plays in obvious passing situations, capping off drive in the red zone, but his willingness to block and handle different assignments could help the offense become less predictable when he’s in the lineup. And of course Taysom Hill is in the mix as well.
This much is clear: Graham returns to the Saints not necessarily humbled, but with the benefits of experience and a greater sense of maturity. He knows his role, what’s expected of him, and how he can help a team that’s important to him. Now let’s see him go out and execute the plan in place for him.
Mickey Loomis is prioritizing an extension with Cameron Jordan: ‘When he talks about retirement, I think he’s thinking it’s years down the road, and so am I’
Mickey Loomis doesn’t often put his cards on the table, but he’s doing just that in talking about Cameron Jordan’s future with the team. The New Orleans Saints general manager raved about his team’s Pro Bowl defensive end during an appearance on Sirius XM NFL Radio this week with hosts Solomon Wilcots and Bill Polian.
“He’s going to be able to play for us as long as he wants to and as long as he can,” Loomis said bluntly. “Then when the time comes, his name will be up in that Ring of Honor and the Hall of Fame and all those other accolades that come with a player of his stature.”
Jordan is on track to be a free agent for the first time in his career next offseason, and he’s currently carrying the highest salary cap hit on the team with a $15.1 million charge for the 2023 season. That can’t really be restructured or spread out again, with the Saints having done so repeatedly in recent years, so it makes sense for both sides to reach a compromise on another extension.
He’s also one of the most decorated players in team history. Jordan has bagged seven or more sacks in 11 consecutive seasons from 2012 to 2022, the longest streak in the NFL, which helped him surpass Hall of Fame linebacker Rickey Jackson for the franchise sacks record last year. He’s exactly the kind of player the Saints should build their team around, even in the last leg of his career. But Loomis isn’t so sure Jordan is ready to move on from football just yet.
“We keep counting on Cam Jordan. Everybody says, ‘Well, maybe this is it,’ but he just keeps going,” Loomis continued. “He’s the (Energizer) Bunny, right? Doesn’t miss time, just keeps playing, keeps being productive, one of the better ends in our league. And so we’re excited to have him back again.”
Will an extension materialize? Both sides are probably motivated to get it done. Beyond Loomis’ own words, reports have already flown around signaling the Saints’ intent to get a deal done before training camp. Jordan would like the long-term stability for himself and his family, who he just took on a monthlong road trip through Spain in search of somewhere warm after last year’s freezing game in Cleveland. Even if he isn’t as impactful a pass rusher as he once was, Jordan is still a consistent defender and a cornerstone of the Saints defense, and Loomis wants it known how highly they value him.
“When he talks about retirement,” Loomis finished, considering his words carefully, “I think he’s thinking it’s years down the road, and so am I.”
New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis shared an update on wide receiver Michael Thomas during an appearance on Sirius XM NFL Radio on Tuesday, setting the first real timetable we’ve seen for the former All-Pro’s return from season-ending surgery last year.
“I think (Thomas) is coming along, and I think he would tell you that things are going well, and we’re excited and optimistic about where he’s going to be when we begin training camp,” Loomis told hosts Bill Polian and Solomon Wilcots.
Loomis acknowledged the frustrations with a series of lower-leg injuries for Thomas, saying that he “has missed the better part of the last two years, and we’re counting on him to get healthy and to get back to his form.”
These extended absences have worn fans’ patience thin, and Thomas missing more time during organized team activities and minicamp practices is not going to met with much positivity. But it’s part of the process in getting him back to full strength. If him not being available for May and June means that Thomas will be full-go by September and October, it will have been worth it.
The New Orleans Saints energized a lot of fans by signing tight end Foster Moreau as a free agent, and it’s easy to see why: he might be the best comeback story in the NFL after receiving a life-changing diagnosis for Hodgkin’s lymphoma during a routine physical with the team back in March.
Two months later, though, Moreau has undergone treatment and received clearance to get back on the field and continue his career. General manager Mickey Loomis acknowledged the high-strung emotions of the situation while speaking with local media at the Saints Hall of Fame golf tournament on Monday, but he was careful to remind everyone that there’s real value to the team in signing Moreau.
“First of all, we brought him in because he’s a good player,” Loomis cautioned, noting that isn’t just a feel-good story about bringing a player back to his hometown. “Versatile, well-rounded tight end. The fact that he’s from New Orleans, and has a history at LSU and here (at Jesuit High School), really had nothing to do with our interest in him.”
Moreau developed into a favorite target of Derek Carr’s when they were together on the Las Vegas Raiders, consistently winning on contested-catch opportunities and fighting for yards after the catch. He can block well, too, and he should add some elements to the Saints offense that they’ve been missing.
Still, at the end of the day this is an important chapter in someone’s life, and Loomis admitted as much. He’s as happy as anyone to see things turn for the better for Moreau so that he could get where he is now.
Loomis continued, “That’s emotional. To come take a physical and discover something that’s is unexpected, I know that’s tough on him and his family. And yet they’ve handled it beautifully. The great news is that the prognosis is good, and even the treatment protocol that he’s going to be under is going to allow him to do some things this offseason and hopefully play in the fall.”
So could Moreau be on the field when the Saints regroup for organized team activities later this month? Maybe so, but his doctors could advise him to take it slow and make sure his body has fully recovered from rigorous cancer treatment before putting himself under physical stress so soon. The Saints aren’t going to rush him into the first phase of drills with his new teammates, but they aren’t going to put any limitations on him, either.
What’s the latest on Michael Thomas? The New Orleans Saints’ former superstar wide receiver has lost years of the prime of his career to injuries, gutting through a complicated ankle issue that slowed him down in 2020 and sidelined him for the entire 2021 season before a broken bone in his other foot cut his 2022 campaign short.
But the Saints are optimistic that Thomas can return to form. General manager Mickey Loomis said as much Monday morning at the Saints Hall of Fame golf tournament, “Absolutely he can be. Just need to get him healthy, and he’s worked so hard at that over the last two or three years. The results haven’t been as good as we have all hoped, but it’s not because of a lack of effort or desire by him, that’s for sure.”
So when will he be back on the field? The Saints are taking it easy with several players managing health issues this offseason, including rookie running back Kendre Miller (coming off a knee injury) and tight end Foster Moreau (recovering from cancer treatment), and they aren’t going to rush Thomas into action before he’s physically ready.
Loomis echoed comments that head coach Dennis Allen made last week in the wake of news that Thomas recently had some surgical “hardware” removed from his foot, saying that the Saints expect Thomas to be ready to go for training camp in July: “Yeah I think everything’s (going) according to plan so far, and I feel very positive about it.”
At least they have a better backup plan this year in case Thomas does miss more time. They signed a veteran contested-catch receiver who’s used to working with Derek Carr in Bryan Edwards. They drafted a highly-regarded rookie who played a similar role in A.T. Perry. Another first-year pro, undrafted free agent Shaquan Davis, also has impressive potential. Signing former Pittsburgh Steelers standout James Washington would add another layer of depth, but we’ll have to wait and see whether a deal materializes.
Hopefully Thomas will continue to progress as expected and return to full participation in training camp and beyond. But if there’s another hurdle or challenge ahead, the Saints won’t be caught unprepared.
