Welcome Total Sports Blog’s NFL Training Camp Previews. Up until the start of the NFL season, we will continue to preview each team, and predict their records. The chances that we predict any of these records to be right drastically increases when Hook is writing the preview.
Today’s Team: The New Orleans Saints (NFC South)
2013 Record: 11-5, lost to Seattle in the Divisional Playoffs
Passing Leader: Drew Brees 5162 YDS 12 TD
Rushing Leader(s): Pierre Thomas 549 YDS 2 TD
Receiving leader: Jimmy Graham 86 REC 1215 YDS 16 TD
Leading Tackler: Curtis Lofton 82 Tackles
Sacks Leader: Cameron Jordan 12.5 Sacks
Int Leader: Keenan Lewis 4 INT
FA losses: Charles Brown T, Jed Collins FB, Brian De La Puente C, Roman Harper SS, Malcolm Jenkins FS, Tom Johnson DT, Lance Moore WR, Will Smith DE, Eddie Whitley DB
FA signings: Champ Bailey CB, Jairus Byrd FS, Erik Lorig FB, Jason Weaver OL
Unsigned FA: Chris Carr DB, Kenyon Coleman DE, Keyunta Dawson DE, Shayne Graham K, Jabari Greer CB, Will Herring OLB, Jonathan Vilma OLB
Draft Picks:
| RD | PK(OVR) | PLAYER | POS | SCHOOL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20(20) | Brandin Cooks | WR | Oregon State |
| 2 | 26(58) | Stan Jean-Baptiste | – | Nebraska |
| 4 | 26(126) | Khairi Fortt | – | California |
| 5 | 27(167) | Vinnie Sunseri | – | Alabama |
| 5 | 29(169) | Ronald Powell | – | Florida |
| 6 | 26(202) | Tavon Rooks | OT | Kansas State |
Drew Brees has surpassed 5,000 passing yards in each of the past 3 seasons, and with the addition of rookie WR Brandin Cooks, feel free to pencil him in- no, write it down in permanent marker, for 4 in a row. While Brees has been dealing with an oblique strain and sat out the Saints’ first 2 pre-season games, he should be good to go against the Colts on Saturday night. With targets like superstar Jimmy Graham, the NFL’s most underrated WR Marques Colston, speedster Kenny Stills, and now Biletnikoff Award winning rookie WR Brandin Cooks, we might see Brees flirt with 5,500 passing yards in 2014.
We know Brees likes to spread the ball around, so don’t expect Stills or Cooks to be fantasy football monsters, but both of them should have a few great weeks and make some highlight-reel plays this season. You may notice I haven’t mentioned the running game much yet, and that’s with good reason. With the departure of Darren Sproles, the Saints are left with Mark Ingram, Pierre Thomas, and Khiry Robinson in the backfield. Thomas is 29 years old, and was more of a threat in the passing game with 77 receptions last year. Ingram really needs to step up if the Saints want to be effective running the ball, but who are we kidding? The Saints are going to throw, throw, throw.
Aside from Brees, Jimmy Graham is the star of this offense. He’s head and shoulders above every “TE” in the league not named Gronkowski. I put TE in quotes because Graham often lines up at WR, and rivals guys like Calvin Johnson and Dez Bryant in terms of athleticism and impact on the football field. I expect his receptions to improve over last year’s 86 by about 10 or so, and his TDs to be around the same average of 1 per game.
The Saints will be an offensive juggernaut, but their defense has a lot of holes. They signed Champ Bailey, but I have reservations about defensive players who were in Madden when John himself was still on the cover.
Champ Bailey was in this game. Seriously.
Until Rob Ryan gets this Saints defense in order, I don’t see them getting to another Super Bowl, yet alone winning it. Their offense is good enough to get them into the playoffs, but they are not better than the Packers, 49ers, or Seahawks. It will be a great season statistically for Brees, Graham, Colston, and even Pierre Thomas, but the Saints just don’t have what it takes to win a playoff game in 2014.
Prediction: 10-6, lose in Wildcard game.
