The Saints are now 2-4 after losing yet another incredibly winnable game to the Kansas City Chiefs. That not only puts them in an extremely unlikely position to make the post season (remember that at 3-3 they would have been only 1 game back), but also further highlighted some of the issues that have plagued the team all year. The elephant in the room has always been the injuries as it is very difficult to grade a roster that is lacking several of their presumed starters, and even those starters backups at some spots. This isn’t an excuse, its simply an observable fact that losing players like Williams, Breaux, Rankins, and even Kikaha has hampered the Saints ability to improve. All of that is obvious and isn’t something I’m going to discuss today, the below list includes many of the players that I expect are highly likely to be playing their final year in New Orleans. Some due to age, others due to age, and a few do to preference. None of these names involve sources, but don’t be surprised if for one reason or another EVERY name on this list is wearing a different uniform next year. This list is NOT to throw in the towel for the season, but to look at how the roster looks today. It’s both an opportunity for young players to step up and kick out older vets, and also for the Saints to see who they should keep going into the future.
Jahri Evans: Guard
Evans inclusion on this list is entirely due to age. I’m actually a little presently surprised Evans is still in the league due to his play last year, but at least so far Evans has been a solid veteran presence for the Saints. He’s not a star like he once was, and honestly he’s not even good, but Evans has been both available and not bad and that is something the Saints desperately needed. Evans has been a solid, technically sound veteran, and with the Saints both missing out on their preferred draft picks at the position and having no money to sign a better player he was a breath of fresh air. Evans has been a huge part in the Saints ability to not kill Drew Brees so far. But….let’s be real here. Jahri has delayed the inevitable by one year, but if Evans is on the Saints roster as anything other than an emergency backup (which Kelemete is better at) that is a sign of an extraordinary failure on the Saints part, not resilience for Evans. The Saints for the first time in years will have cap room, and with the luxury of draft picks and a solid free agency class flush with better talents at his position.
Zack Strief: Right Tackle
Strief is a hard player to predict, because while many fans find reasons to get mad at him on twitter, it’s also a fact that Strief is generally rock solid and is again this year. I think the Saints are going to do everything they can to replace him at RT, and I think Andrus Peat will remain at LG where he just looks better. That means that Strief may still remain on the roster as a backup tackle, but I think the preference is to replace him with a more athletic and younger replacement.
Marcus Murphy, Travaris Cadet, Tim Hightower: Running Back
I don’t expect any of these guys to last past the season. First of all Payton always finds quality backs from out of nowhere, but more importantly none of these guys bring any kind of long term value to the team. Hightower will likely lose his job to Daniel Lasco by year’s end, and even if not he only has a little bit left in the tank and is mostly mediocre at this point. Murphy brings absolutely zero value to the offense, and his inability to hold onto the ball in the return game puts the writing on the wall (cue the “you had one job” memes). Cadet might be a Payton favorite, but it’s not because of his ability but his role. Expect them to either try Lasco more in that role, or to draft a player (or pick up another UDFA who is more explosive). Regardless of how I’ll be very surprised if any of these players is on next year’s roster.
Jairus Byrd: Safety
Byrd is going to go down as one of the worst free agent signings ever, and the sad part is it isn’t because it was bad scouting. Byrd looked good his first few games in NO. However, the lack of a pass rush (which his type of safety desperately needs) as well as the knee injuries he suffered have completely taken away his physical ability to play at this level. Byrd is slow, lacks fluidity, and was never a particular strong or ‘athletic’ safety to start with. He’s done. Period. The Saints have to keep him through the year for cap reasons, but after that Byrd is finished in NO and possibly in the NFL.
And finally….Mark Ingram: Running Back
Ingram is the only player on this list who I believe will no longer be a Saint who isn’t a negative player for the team. Ingram is this year what he has been most of his career in New Orleans, solid. Ingram is a good pass protector, a good between the tackles runner (and ONLY between the tackles), a good receiver. Ingram’s greatest strength is also his biggest weakness…he’s just….good.
There is not one single area where Mark Ingram is great, and that is the problem. Ingram is a ‘pound the rock’ back who lacks the functional strength necessary to punish defenses, he’s got vision and good balance so long as he’s moving north to south, but lacks anything even close to resembling explosiveness. And that is really Mark’s biggest problem. The Saints aren’t a ground and pound team, they never will be and they lack the offensive line and the defense necessary to be one. they need a back who is versatile and consistent yes, which Ingram IS, but they also need someone who can really hurt opposing defenses. Ingram is almost never on the opponent’s game plan, and contrary to popular belief on twitter that isn’t because teams know Sean won’t run. It’s because Ingram isn’t a catalyst, he’s a beneficiary. He’s good, make no mistake of that, but he’s not an X-factor. He’s not a guy who makes opponent’s think about him, and most importantly he doesn’t bring the element Payton and Brees NEED from that position…a threat.
Payton’s scheme is absolutely brilliant, but one of its most important elements is the ‘hey look over here’ element where they force you to focus on one spot, and attack you at another. That worked so well when they had Sproles, it worked so well with Bush, and with Pierre Thomas and even with Ivory because they all brought at least one element that made defenses account for them. This allows Payton to both use them to setup the passing attack, and to use the pass to setup ideal running situations. It’s complimentary football, but it only works when the defense cares. Ingram could be a surprise cut, but I think it’s more likely the Saints try to get a 3rd round pick for him (although honestly I’d take a 4th and a 5th as well).
To be clear, this isn’t an indictment on Mark. This is both about his fit in the offense which honestly has never been there, and also about the reality of his position. Running backs age quickly in the NFL, and for a back like Mark who lacks any outstanding athletic traits age can catch up with you faster than you might think. Ingram has never been explosive, and he’s looked slower and more sluggish in the open field than ever this year. As things currently stand I will be a little surprised if he is a Saint next year, and if I’m being honest I’ll be a bit disappointed too.
Honorable mentions (or not worth mentioning): James Laurinaitis, Michael Mauti, De’Vante Harris, Tim Lelito, John Jenkins, every old vet/UDFA getting minutes because of injuries
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