SEASON PREDICTION 

The Saints despite finishing last in the division last year were arguably the most talented squad of the bunch in the back half of the year. Even though their final record was 6-11, the end of the season was extremely promising and turned many Saints fans and outside watchers (like myself) into believers for this upcoming season. I think it is important to preface that while the final record may show 6-11, it's extremely misleading. For starters, Shough, the main engine behind the belief of this team, only started 11 games in 2025. He was dug into a deep hole when he took over for Rattler and somehow managed to rejuvenate this stagnate offense with his running ability and seasoned veteran experience (25-year-old rookie). To finish the season, the Saints ended 4-1 in their final 5 games, and Shough recorded 10 total touchdowns and only 3 INTs. With upgrades all around him I expect a jump for this offense to come and for them to leapfrog atop the division.  

While the other teams in the division got significantly worse or have question marks surrounding their coaching staff/player capabilities, New Orleans enters 2026 as steady as can be. They have no QB controversy and have a clear pecking order in the offense which is great for a 2nd year QB to have. Shough will be able to rely on his run game more this year thanks to the Saints going out and spending big on Etienne and adding an O-linemen to help clear the path for his runs. Speaking of O-line New Orleans investment over the years in the trenches seems to finally have begun paying off as they enter 2026 with the 16th ranked unit with room for improvement if everything goes according to plan. The addition of Etienne is what really swayed me into becoming a Saints believer this year. Last year Shough was able to successfully move the ball through the air with no run game to back him up. Kamara was the leading rusher with 471 yards which is a sorrowful number to be leading a team. Whereas Etienne put up an impressive 2025 campaign with 1100 yards and 7 TDs. Allowing this offense to become 2 dimensional and having a brilliant young offense minded, HC just adds to the explosiveness that this unit could possess. Unfortunately, Jordan Tyson will be sidelined for the first couple weeks due to an injury but I'm confident that Olave, Johnson, and Vele can carry the burden until he returns. Furthermore, they have the cards stacked in their favor to overcome this setback by being blessed with the 2nd easistest SOS in the NFC.  

On the flip side, the New Orleans defense went out and got some weapons. The big offseason add was the 3 year 33-million-dollar deal dished out to Kaden Ellis. I am a huge fan of this signing as Ellis was a beast in the middle of the Atlanta defense and helped anchor the middle line while accumulating a career high in tackles (107). In addition to the Ellis signing, New Orleanais has Chase Young set to return for a healthy 2026 season. After a disappointing start to his career, it seems that Young has found a home in the Superdome as he had a monstruous 2025 campaign recording 10 sacks, 38 tackles and 3 fumble recoveries (in 12 games). In the secondary they have Kool-Aid McKinstry who I'm also high on and expect to take a second-year leap and become one of the top 15 CBs in the NFL. Alas, despite all this great news and my high projections for the squad, there is a huge blow we haven't yet talked about. The franchises pillar of excellence on defense Demario Davis unfortunately left in free agency after spending 9 fantastic years with the Saints. Last year he led the team with an incredible 143 tackles, and his veteran presence will be sorely missed for this young squad.  

All things considered, I expect New Orleans to walk out of the weakest division in the NFL as champs with a 10-7 record. The expected leap from Shough in a Kellen Moore offense entices me more than any other team in this division. Plus, their easy strength of schedule will give them a competitive edge over the rest of their division foes, which I believe will allow them to squeak by last year's division champs in the Panthers.