It’s hard to look at this Saints roster and see a quick fix coming.
New Orleans entered the 2026 season with a better-looking group on paper, but the problems that were already there never went away. The hope was that some of those spots would naturally grow into answers.
That hasn’t happened. Even worse, several areas that seemed relatively safe have slipped too.
Whether a future coaching staff can squeeze more out of this roster is beside the point now: the Saints still need real upgrades.
Start with the backfield, because the running back situation is hard to ignore. The Saints need help there, plain and simple. Even if Kellen Moore or another coach finds a way to steady the run game, the team still has to add a physical runner who can work alongside a healthy Travis Etienne.
The offensive line needs help too, and right guard is the one place that looks most realistic for an offseason change. The unit has been a mess in 2026, and while nobody is escaping blame, Ruiz has not been the central issue. He’s had some good moments, but the inconsistency has been a real problem.
And then there’s the defense, where the list gets longer in a hurry.
At defensive tackle, the young players on the roster have flashed enough to give the Saints something to work with, but not enough to stop them from chasing a high-level addition. They need a true difference-maker next to Christian Miller.
Edge rusher is another spot that can’t wait. Carl Granderson has done enough to be a useful piece opposite Chase Young, especially against the run, but the Saints can’t keep rolling with that pairing and expect the pass rush to carry the load. The defense needs another player who can heat up the quarterback and take pressure off the rest of the front.
The secondary might be the biggest concern of all. Cornerback and safety both need attention, with Justin Ried and Julian Blackmon failing to deliver. Opposing quarterbacks are going after Kool-Aid McKinstry and Quincy Riley, and Jonas Sanker has been the only clear bright spot in the group - even though he has struggled since moving to slot.
The bottom line is simple: this roster has too many holes to patch with internal development alone. The Saints are going to have to attack these spots in 2027.
In Other News...
Saints Pressure Is Rising Fast After Public Message To Kellen Moore
The early weeks of the 2026 season have already put the Saints in a difficult spot, and the frustration around the team has moved well beyond the building. New Orleans is 1-4, and team owner Gayle Benson made her dissatisfaction with the level of play clear in public, a notable signal of how quickly the mood has turned around a club that expected more stability under Kellen Moore.
Moore responded by stressing the organizations commitment to improvement, but the on-field results have not given the Saints much breathing room. With losses piling up and the schedule bringing the New York Giants next, New Orleans suddenly finds itself trying to steady both its play and its confidence before the pressure gets any heavier. [Read more 🡒]
Kellen Moore Is Feeling Real Saints Pressure After Gayle Benson Speaks
Kellen Moore is feeling the kind of early-season heat that comes with coaching in New Orleans, where expectations rarely wait for the calendar to catch up. After the Saints stumbled to a 1-4 start in 2026, Moore was asked about team performance and about owner Gayle Bensons recent comments pushing for results, a message that landed even harder after the clubs strong finish to last year.
Moore said he and Benson share the same goal of getting the team moving in the right direction, but he did not frame the conversation as one that requires a wholesale change in how the Saints are going about things. The pressure is real because the record is real, and while the season is still young, the patience around a slow start in New Orleans is usually thinner than the margin for error. [Read more 🡒]
Kellen Moore Addresses Growing Pressure Around Saints' Brutal Start
The Saints 1-4 start has naturally turned up the heat around Kellen Moore, but the first-year coach said he is not dwelling on the noise. Moore said he has not met with owner Gayle Benson about the slow start and made clear he has no problem with her public criticism of the record, stressing instead that his focus is on getting the team pointed in the right direction.
Moore said he and Benson see each other several times a week, but they have not sat down to talk through the issues that have followed the poor opening. He also brushed aside speculation about his job status, keeping the message centered on improvement and moving forward as the Saints try to steady themselves after a rough beginning. [Read more 🡒]