Tag: team needs

B/R lists Saints as ‘team to watch’ for Chiefs RB in free agency

Could the New Orleans Saints target a veteran Kansas City Chiefs running back in free agency this offseason? Bleacher Report thinks so:

The New Orleans Saints desperately need more help at running back next year and will need to find it for cheap. Could they target a player that will be playing in the Super Bowl in just a couple of weeks?

Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox recently surveyed the running back market ahead of free agency and tried to pair some of the top players with new teams. The Saints were listed as one of the teams to watch for Kansas City Chiefs veteran Kareem Hunt. This was his reasoning:

While Hunt may no longer be a high-end starter, he’d be a strong complementary option in any committee backfield. After playing on a one-year, $1.2 million deal in 2024, Hunt should expect a contract in the $3 million range for 2025… The Saints could use a physical running complement to Alvin Kamara and need to find one on a budget.

It is clear that Hunt is no longer the Pro Bowl back that he used to be at the outset of his career, his rookie season was his best with 1,327 yards and eight scores. Still, he could be of some value to a team.

He had a bit of a bounce back campaign this year, with a larger role than expected thanks to an Isiah Pacheco injury. In 13 games (eight starts) he posted 728 yards with seven touchdowns. He did so on 3.6 yards per rush.

Alvin Kamara is going to be the premiere back and focus on the New Orleans offense next season, but that isn’t going to get the job done (as this season proved). Behind Kamara, no one has made themselves indispensable. The Saints will either need to draft or sign some new competition.

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ESPN suggests Saints may need to change their approach to the 2025 NFL draft

Should the New Orleans Saints adopt a ‘best player available’ approach in the 2025 NFL draft? ESPN suggests it could help them out:

The New Orleans Saints have a long, long list of needs heading into the offseason and do not have the luxury of targeting one specific part of the roster.

When looking across the top 10 picks of the 2025 NFL draft, ESPN’s Katherine Terrell suggested the team just worry about taking the best player available in the first round. This is part of what Terrell had to say about her reasoning:

At $70.6 million over the cap in 2025 (per Roster Management System), the Saints are likely going to have to draft for need. But their biggest need is open to interpretation. They are looking for successors at defensive end and linebacker for 35-year-olds Cameron Jordan and Demario Davis, respectively. They also could use another wide receiver to slot alongside Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, as well as permanent fixes to the offensive line.

As alluded to, that really doesn’t narrow much down. Rather than worrying about ranking those needs, the decision certainly should just revolve around who is on the board when they come up to pick.

Perhaps the Saints can consider what the bigger need is if they have two players of similar skill levels on the board at the same time.

For example, there is a world where Georgia Bulldogs safety Malaki Starks and Tennessee Volunteers defensive end James Pearce Jr. are on the board at nine. Both are extremely talented and impactful adds. Defensive end is bit bigger of an immediate need than safety, so that might influence their decision.

Mickey Loomis could also just throw all caution to the wind and go with a full best player approach and take Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty above both of them.

Either way, New Orleans just desperately needs to add talent to their roster this offseason.

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Would LSU OL Will Campbell fit the Saints offense? NFL draft projection

The New Orleans Saints offensive line needs more talent, and LSU left tackle Will Campbell just might be available in the 2025 draft. But would he fit what they need?

The New Orleans Saints have all eyes on the future, which means it is time to start narrowing down who they should select in the 2025 NFL draft. It is a hard draft season to understand, though, because of just how many needs there are to fill.

One intriguing name that could be used in a number of different ways played his college football just a short ways over in Baton Rouge, LSU Tigers offensive lineman Will Campbell. He is currently projected to go around when the Saints come up on the clock for the first time at No. 9 overall, but does he make sense for New Orleans?

It is sort of hard to project before the new offense gets decided upon, but Campbell is a scheme-versatile fit that could be used in just about any scenario. The harder question to answer for him is where he should play on the offensive line.

The 21-year-old was a three-year starter at left tackle in the SEC, which is no small feat. Not only that, but he played at a high level the entire time. The problem is that he isn’t built like an NFL tackle, most notable with fairly short arms. The most likely outcome for him is being moved inside to a guard spot.

He is well-polished for his age and a great athlete, likely being the best interior lineman in this draft. That is good news for his fit with the Saints as they desperately need someone to fill in at left guard. Five different players took snaps there in 2024, including Lucas Patrick (474 snaps), Nick Saldiveri (344), Oli Udoh (112), Landon Young (112), and Kyle Hergel (45).  Drafting Campbell would immediately answer that need and could even finish out a starting offensive line, depending on how the next coach feels about Trevor Penning on the right side.

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PFF: New Orleans Saints biggest draft needs focused in two main areas

Pro Football Focus argues the New Orleans Saints need a lot of help in two main areas in the 2025 NFL draft: catching passes and sacking quarterbacks.

The New Orleans Saints have a lot of holes on the roster to fill, but the biggest ones are focused on pass catchers and the defensive line.

Pro Football Focus’ Gordon McGuinness listed out the largest positions of need for each team in the NFL draft. He listed four for the Saints, but they all really focused on those two parts of the field: wide receivers, tight ends, interior defensive linemen and defensive ends.

Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed are excellent options at wide receiver, but this year proved that you cannot go into the year just with them. Injuries are bad luck, but they both could be considered injury-prone. New Orleans could also use another, bigger body at the position.

At tight end, it would be a need even if Juwan Johnson wasn’t heading into free agency. Johnson had not become the pass catching threat he showed flashes of early and the Saints have lacked a true threat there for too long.

Bryan Bresee showed a lot of growth this season on the defensive interior, but they still need help there. The run defense was awful and Bresee was a culprit. Adding run-stopper to the mix could be a nice pairing with their current youngster’s pass rush skills.

Speaking of the pass rush, the defensive end could be considered their biggest need. Carl Granderson had a hard time finishing sacks, Cameron Jordan is continuing to regress with age and Chase Young is heading to free agency. Going into next year without adding another end would be malpractice.

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College Football Playoff: 2025 draft prospects to watch during Clemson vs. Texas

The top 2025 NFL draft prospects to watch during Clemson Tigers vs. Texas Longhorns College Football Playoff game on Saturday feature plenty of playmakers on each side of the ball:

The newly expanded College Football Playoffs have begun and it is providing another way to prepare for the 2025 NFL draft.

For teams like the New Orleans Saints, the NFL draft has already become the most exciting thing for the future. Watching these games could give some insight into who the next Saints players will be.

Up second on Saturday is the Clemson Tigers taking on the Texas Longhorns, a matchup full of NFL talent.

The top draft prospect in this matchup would be Longhorns offensive tackle Kelvin Banks. Banks is one of the best pass-blocking tackles in the country and is also more than solid in run protection.

Taliese Fuaga has been good at left tackle, but drafting Banks would allow him to move back to the right side where he has proven dominant.

A Day 2 prospect to watch is Tigers tight end Jake Briningstool. It’s clear that New Orleans’ offense needs another weapon at that spot and Briningstool has the tools that modern day tight ends possess.

He is a solid pass catcher that can get by with enough blocking ability. The senior has 1,311 career receiving yards and 17 touchdowns. He has a high ceiling that is certainly worth a look in the third round.

Closing things out with a Day 3 prospect, Clemson running back Phil Mafah would be an interesting pair with Alvin Kamara.

With shades of Kamara and Mark Ingram a few years ago, having one shifty back and another power back has come back in style. Mafah has had a breakout campaign after sharing the field with Philadelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley previously.

How to Watch

This game is one of the few college football games that won’t be played on ESPN this postseason. It will be aired on TNT as well as available to be streamed on Sling and Max.

Saints linked to big-time offensive lineman in 2025 mock draft

The Saints were linked to a big-time offensive lineman in Touchdown Wire’s latest 2025 mock draft. Texas left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. would be a good get:

The 2025 NFL draft is a long ways away, so it’s better to use mock drafts like this one from Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar as advanced scouting reports on players to watch during the 2024 college football season. And this time Farrar has the Saints picking Texas Longhorns offensive lineman Kelvin Banks Jr.

A former five-star recruit with the rare combination of size and athleticism pro scouts look for, Banks has been exceptional through two years of play. He’s lined up exclusively at left tackle and allowed just three sacks on 1,006 snaps in pass protection per Pro Football Focus charting. After being selected for the All-Big 12 second team in 2022, he was promoted to the conference’s first team in 2023.

Here’s why Farrar sees him as such a great fit with New Orleans:

Back in Sean Payton’s salad days, the Saints were all about getting the best guards possible to assist Drew Brees in throwing the ball in the ways that were best for him. Now, Dennis Allen’s crew is just looking for a front five that works. The selection of Oregon State tackle Taliese Fuaga with the 24th overall pick in the 2024 draft helps, but there’s so much that’s still undefined along the line. Kelvin Banks Jr. would be a nice fit in New Orleans because he can play both guard and tackle, and he does it all with serious attitude. Last season for the Longhorns at left tackle, Banks allowed one sack and 12 total pressures in 550 pass-blocking snaps, and when it was time to hit the second level, Banks was looking to HUNT opponents.

It’s tough to fault that logic. The Saints need to keep pouring resources into their offensive line until it isn’t a problem anymore. If they can’t get it right, it won’t matter who the quarterback is or which weapons he can throw to, or whether it’s Alvin Kamara, Kendre Miller, or someone else leading the backfield next year. Drafting Fuaga was a good start. If things don’t work out with Trevor Penning switching to right tackle, a first-round left tackle like Banks could allow Fuaga to move back to his college position. But if Penning does flourish in his new role, either Banks or Fuaga could move inside to guard. Another talent injection could be just what this unit needs.

Still, it’s a problem for another day (if not another year). Right now the Saints are betting on Fuaga and Penning bookending the line while Nick Saldiveri steps into the lineup at left guard, with Erik McCoy and Cesar Ruiz returning from last year’s team. Hopefully that combination works well and wins them enough games to where they can look to address another position of need in 2025.

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Pro Football Network says safety is Saints’ biggest remaining weakness

Pro Football Network says safety is the Saints’ biggest remaining weakness. That’s tough to buy when they don’t have a starting left guard:

Which positions look weakest on the New Orleans Saints’ depth chart? There’s still time to add reinforcements before training camp and the start of the 2024 season, but their options are limited with the biggest free agent signings and the NFL draft behind us.

According to Pro Football Network’s Dakota Randall, the Saints’ biggest remaining weakness is safety. Here’s why:

As we stand today, 2023 fifth-round pick Jordan Howden is in line to start alongside Tyrann Mathieu. That’s because the New Orleans Saints didn’t find any better players in free agency or during the draft.

They need to start planning for the future at this position.

It’s a little late to start planning for the future after the draft, and it’s not like the Saints haven’t signed anyone. They brought in veteran defensive back Will Harris while re-signing other experienced backups like Johnathan Abram (who started ahead of Howden to close out the 2023 season) and Ugo Amadi to round out the depth chart.

Sure, they don’t have many proven options who could confidently replace Marcus Maye next to Mathieu. It’s going to be Howden, Abram, or Harris filling that void in the fall. Hopefully Howden has learned enough after his rookie year to earn that job. But the Saints won games last year with both him and Abram starting in the secondary, so it’s not like this is a major priority.

At least not to the degree that the offensive line is a serious problem. The Saints don’t have a starting left guard right now. James Hurst retired and Andrus Peat signed with the Las Vegas Raiders, meaning their best options  on the roster are Nick Saldiveri (a college right tackle who the coaches didn’t want to play as a rookie), Oli Udoh (a career right guard with some experience at left tackle, but not left guard), and a journeyman free agent in Shane Lemieux. A couple of rookie free agents are also in the mix.

And that’s not getting into the depth issues at left tackle. Trevor Penning is about to jump out of the plane without a parachute if the Saints can’t sign a free agent who could fill in for him in a pinch, if not push him during camp. He was benched after just six starts last season for poor performance. Maybe he’s turned it around with hard work this offseason, but the only players behind him are Landon Young and Justin Herron, with 18 combined NFL starts between the two of them. It’s a dicey situation. Hopefully the Saints can improve things along the line (and, sure, at safety) before training camp starts in July.

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Left tackle labeled the Saints’ biggest weakness after NFL draft

The Saints entered and left the draft with Trevor Penning as the starter at left tackle, but B/R says left tackle is the team’s biggest weakness:

The New Orleans Saints addressed a few holes in the NFL draft, most notably selecting Oregon State right tackle Taliese Fuaga in the first round. There’s no team without a weakness, and some teams have more than others. The Saints find themselves in the latter position.

New Orleans entered the draft with too many holes to fill with their premium draft picks. You could argue they chose to not fill prominent voids for players who may have their largest impact in future seasons. Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder assessed the condition of all 32 teams’ rosters after the NFL draft. He feels left tackle is the biggest weakness on the Saints’ roster, shared with the division-rival Carolina Panthers, but his logic is a bit shaky:

On a similar note, while Taliese Fuaga ranked within the top-25 prospects on B/R’s final big board, he was listed as a guard due to concerns about his ability to hold up in pass protection on the edge.

However, the Saints spent a first-round pick on Fuaga to replace Trevor Penning.

Essentially, all New Orleans did was swap out one tackle prospect who is a great run-blocker but better suited on the inside since he’ll likely struggle with NFL speed rushers for another one. Also, the Oregon State product exclusively lined up at right tackle in college, so he’ll be switching positions this season.

Left tackle was the second-biggest need heading into the draft. Trevor Penning and Ryan Ramczyk both come with their own set of significant question marks, so it was clear the Saints would address the offensive line early on. Fuaga was the only tackle drafted until their final pick, when they added Eastern Kentucky right tackle Josiah Ezirim in the seventh round. Penning struggled last year, so left tackle could is one their biggest weakness entering the year until proven otherwise.

Holder just came to the conclusion in an odd way. The biggest problem is that Fuaga was not drafted to replace Penning. By all intents and purposes, Fuaga is the heir apparent for Ramczyk at right tackle. Holder clearly doesn’t have faith in Penning either. The Saints’ draft strategy says they believe in Penning to a certain extent. That’s a gamble that must pay off.

Another issue is the Saints don’t view Fuaga as a guard, either. Fuaga projected high as a tackle prospect. This is simply a difference in scouting opinions, but it shouldn’t concern Saints fans. Bleacher Report scouting likely views Fuaga as best suited on the interior due to his arm length. We’ll find out whether that matters when pads come on later this summer.

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Adding TE Brock Wright would dramatically change 49ers draft needs

The #49ers may be able to cross something off their NFL draft needs.

The 49ers made an intriguing free agency play by signing Lions restricted free agent TE Brock Wright to an offer sheet. It was a signal that the team not only recognizes its obvious need on their TE depth chart. but that they’re also hopeful to fill it with a veteran they trust to take TE2 snaps right away. Doing so would alter their needs in this year’s draft, where adding a TE was relatively high on the priority list.

San Francisco is in a little bit of a strange spot with their tight end room. George Kittle is coming off an All-Pro campaign and didn’t shown a ton of signs of slowing down in his Age 30 season. They don’t really need a starter, so typically they’d be able to wait later in the draft to find a player they like.

However, with only 2023 third-round pick Cameron Latu and 2023 seventh-round pick Brayden Willis on the roster, it stands to reason San Francisco might want to find a player they trust more to take between 25-30 percent of the snaps in 2024. That’s where a higher draft pick would come in, since an earlier selection could net them a more pro-ready prospect.

Wright changes the calculus on all of that if the 49ers are able to secure him in restricted free agency.

With Wright backing up Kittle, the 49ers’ need at TE in the draft only goes as far as they believe (or don’t believe) Latu and Willis can develop into contributors. Given that Latu didn’t play his rookie year because of an injury and Willis played only sparingly on offense, it stands to reason San Francisco would give them both opportunities to compete in their second seasons. Wright’s experience and production as a blocker and pass catcher would open the door for the 49ers to give that duo some runway they may not have without a veteran above them on the depth chart.

If the Lions choose to match San Francisco’s offer sheet for Wright, it would make sense for the 49ers to head back into the free agent TE market. If they don’t go the free agent route though, we can put TE right back up near the top of the 49ers’ positional needs heading into the 2024 draft.

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Saints shouldn’t let signing Chase Young stop them from drafting another pass rusher

The Saints shouldn’t let signing Chase Young stop them from drafting another pass rusher. They need more firepower regardless of Young’s health:

Even if Chase Young was fully healthy, the New Orleans Saints should still consider drafting more pass-rush help in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft. Young’s uncertain health status ahead of neck surgery only makes the statement more true. The signing allows you to not reach for an edge rusher, but it shouldn’t keep you from drafting one if an impact player is there.

There are enough talented pass-rushing defensive ends on this roster to make the sentiment questionable, however, the room isn’t quite set up for the future. Chase Young is on a one-year contract. Tanoh Kpassagnon is a free agent next year. Payton Turner will be as well unless the team picks up his fifth year option. As a matter of fact, an impactful rookie could make Turner expendable during camp. Alabama’s Dallas Turner and UCLA’s Laiatu Latu have been popular picks for the Saints in recent mock drafts.

Carl Granderson, Isaiah Foskey, and Cameron Jordan are the only core edge rushers under contract for 2025. There’s questions within that triumvirate moving forward as well given each player’s age, past production, and injury outlook. There are bodies at the position, but the position shouldn’t be considered stable. Signing Young makes you feel satisfied with your 2024 outlook, so drafting an edge rusher at No. 14 isn’t a must-have, but it should be seen as a priority. It could still be a huge benefit for this year and moving forward if the right guy falls to New Orleans.

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