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The New Orleans Saints came out of the blocks like gang busters in this new league year and made some critical decisions that blew the minds of their fan base. The trading of All Pro tight end Jimmy Graham to the Seattle Seahawks had some believing that the organization had gone mad.
Could the Super Bowl curtains be closing on the Head Coach Sean Payton/quarterback Drew Brees era? Has the organization led by General Manager Mickey Loomis lost its identity?
The answer is: ‘Not at all.’
The identity for the 2015 New Orleans Saints’ offense is very clear and Payton and Loomis’ plans are in full view. After the past nine years of a high-flying-pass-happy attack led by the 36-year-old Brees, they will be looking to a ball-control ground attack. This approach will enable them to be more effective in the passing game.
In spite losing Graham and wide out Kenny Stills — which to some may appear as a huge loss — Brees will benefit from this shift in focus for the offense. It will take a lot of the pressure off him and put it on the backs of the team’s two dynamic running backs, Mark Ingram and C.J. Spiller.
Analyzing what this team received in return for Graham, it addressed an area of great need quickly. One addition for the team via the trade was center Max Unger. This acquisition will provide the Saints a much needed anchor and experienced field general in the middle of the offensive line, something missing last year. Brees was sacked 29 times in 2014.
This O-line is now one solid pick away from giving the Pro Bowl quarterback a clean enough pocket from which to deliver consistently accurate throws. Some may feel that there is still not enough firepower on offense as there was with Graham on the roster. But the Saints have proven time and time again that, as long as Brees has time, he will find his receivers… no matter who they are.
He is a uniquely talented quarterback. His film study and knowledge of the offense allows his ball placement to be perfect, given the proper time. He understands where his players are supposed to be and knows their tendencies. Having a quarterback of Brees’ caliber separates this offense from most around the National Football League.
The Saints have always done a good job of keeping young, talented wide outs on their roster. You can compare them to the New England Patriots in that they always have been able to find success no matter who is at the receiver position. New Orleans has nine wide outs on the roster and six of them are 6′ 0”or more. Guys like Nick Toon, Brandon Coleman, Marques Colston and speedster Brandin Cooks will make a nice complement of pass catchers for Brees to throw to.
Another facet of this change in identity is reestablishing a culture of maturity and team concept. After the 7-9 record that the team had last year, the Saints’ brass made it clear that if players were not buying in to the program, then they could go do their thing elsewhere. One thing that New Orleans fans can be absolutely sure of is that Loomis and Payton made these drastic moves this offseason not to “clean house,” but to improve the team’s performance on the practice field and in games.
Lastly, these Saints have an unbelievable nine picks in this year’s NFL Draft and five of them are in the first 78 spots. This amount of selections is the most that New Orleans has had since 2002, putting the team in a position to draft quality players early on that can immediately make an impact.
The identity for this Saints team has been retooled, not lost. It is very clear that it is not looking to rebuild, it is looking to win now. The New Orleans front office also realizes that, rather than just a few hot play makers on offense, it needs an entire team with a solid foundation… now and for the next generation to come.
Great article