The Saints are heading into the bye with a season that has gone sideways in a hurry, but the door to the playoffs is still cracked open.
At 2-5, New Orleans has plenty to clean up, and the list starts with the kind of issues that have dragged this team down all year: injuries to key players, second-year standouts regressing, and not enough progress from the coaching staff. This was supposed to be a year of growth and maybe even a playoff push. Instead, the Saints have spent most of it trying to stop the slide.
Still, the NFC South has been wide open. It has been the worst division in football for the past two seasons, at least, and New Orleans finished last in 2025 while still staying within reach of first place. That’s the reality here: the Saints have been bad, but so has the division, and a strong stretch after the bye could change the picture fast.
Help is on the way, too. Travis Etienne is returning, and Jordyn Tyson is finally set to make his debut. But those additions only matter if the Saints start fixing the problems around them.
The biggest one is the run game. New Orleans has been poor on the ground, and while the personnel hasn’t helped, the coaching has made it worse.
The Saints have tells in their playcalling that are giving opponents a read on what’s coming, and that’s the kind of thing that should never happen. If they can find a way to run the ball more consistently, the offense becomes a completely different unit.
That puts the pressure squarely on Kellen Moore to get that area right.
The rookie class also has to do more. Right now, the 2026 draft haul has been underwhelming, especially near the top.
Tyson needs to stay healthy, Christen Miller needs more snaps, and Oscar Delp has to be part of the passing game. Some of that comes back to the coaches not getting the rookies on the field enough, but all three need to make a real impact from here on out.
And then there’s Kool-Aid McKinstry. He has not played like a CB1 this season, and there’s even a real chance he gets bumped down to CB2 next year.
The Saints need more consistency from him, and they need turnovers, too. The entire defensive backfield has to improve, but McKinstry is the one who stands out most.
If the Saints are going to make anything out of this season, these are the areas that have to turn around after the bye.
In Other News...
Gayle Benson Sends Saints A Clear Message About This Season
Gayle Benson is not sounding the alarm on the Saints 2-5 start, at least not publicly. The team owner said she still believes in the effort being shown inside the building, even as New Orleans has struggled to find consistency and has already made one notable staff move by parting with run-game coordinator T.J. Paganetti.
Bensons comments leave the bigger picture hanging over the rest of the season, with the Saints still trying to stabilize things before any broader decisions are made. She also touched on the possibility of New Orleans taking part in an NFL International Series game in Italy, a reminder that even in a difficult year, the franchise is still being discussed in a wider league context. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Reach A Roster Crossroads With Deadline Pressure Building
The Saints are entering a stretch where every roster decision seems to carry extra weight, with injured players being evaluated for possible returns to practice as the team tries to sort out its next move. Jordyn Tyson, Travis Etienne Jr. and Kelvin Banks Jr. are all part of that discussion, giving New Orleans a few potential reinforcements to consider even as the club navigates a season that has already forced some hard choices.
At the same time, the front office is also keeping an eye on the market, with Kendre Miller and Justin Reid drawing attention as possible trade candidates if the Saints decide to lean toward selling. No deals have been made, but with the deadline pressure building, the balance between getting healthier and reshaping the roster is becoming harder to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Backfield Problem Could Suddenly Elevate An Unexpected Name
The Saints running back room has gone from crowded to precarious in a hurry, and that has put Audric Estime back in the mix after the team released him with an injury settlement earlier this month. New Orleans is now working with just two healthy backs in Kendre Miller and Alvin Kamara, a thin spot on the roster that has made every update at the position worth watching.
The bigger concern is the uncertainty around the rest of the depth chart, with updates still pending on Travis Etienne and CJ Donaldson. Etienne has been sidelined by a hamstring injury and has not played since, leaving the Saints waiting on clarity at a position where one more setback could force a much different game plan than they expected. [Read more 🡒]