The Saints’ offseason makeover brought a lot more youth, and that was the point. An excellent 2025 draft class changed the mood around the roster, giving New Orleans a wave of young, exciting options after age had been a real concern a year ago. But even as the team got younger, the veteran presence around the building still matters just as much.
That’s where names like Cam Jordan and Alvin Kamara come in.
Demario Davis was initially part of that same conversation, with all three veterans set to hit free agency to open the offseason. The Saints also looked poised to keep turning over the roster, especially after signing Travis Etienne at running back, which made it seem like Kamara’s future could be in doubt and that Etienne would become RB1. Davis has since signed with the New York Jets, Jordan returned to New Orleans, Kamara has made it clear he wants to stay by showing up for minicamp, and Taysom Hill remains available in free agency and is likely retiring.
For some in the fanbase, the idea of holding onto older players can feel like the wrong direction when a team is trying to get younger. But that misses the bigger picture.
On a young roster, veteran leaders help keep things steady. They show younger players how to handle mistakes, how to respond when things go wrong, and how to survive the mental grind that comes with the physical demands of the game.
There’s a line to walk here. Too many veterans on a team that isn’t built to compete can be a problem. Not enough veterans can be one too.
Jordan and Kamara fit because their time in New Orleans is clearly limited. Jordan has said this will be his last year, and Kamara’s contract is up after this season.
That makes their presence especially valuable. If the rest of the locker room still values having them around, that says plenty about the role they play beyond their production.
And the Saints will need others to step forward soon enough. This season is part of that handoff.
What happens on the field still counts, of course, but the setup is different than last year. Kamara does not have to carry the load as RB1, and Jordan can be rotated more with Anfernee Jennings and Tyree Wilson on the roster. With smaller roles, both veterans can still make an impact when called upon without wearing down as quickly through games.
For a young Saints team, that kind of balance matters. Jordan and Kamara may be nearing the end, but their value in 2025 stretches beyond snaps and stat lines. If things start to go sideways, having veterans like those two in place could matter a lot for the Saints’ 2026 season, on and off the field.
In Other News...
Cam Jordan And Saints Fans Explode Over Latest Alvin Kamara Disrespect
A critical Times-Picayune column about Alvin Kamara lit up the Saints community this week, drawing sharp pushback from fans and plenty of attention inside the building as training camp approaches. The piece leaned into the familiar offseason debate around a veteran back trying to fend off age and production concerns, even as Kamara remains one of the most recognizable pieces of New Orleans identity.
Cam Jordan was among those who jumped to Kamaras defense, underscoring how differently the locker room views a player whose value is measured by more than carries and yardage. For the Saints, the bigger question is not just what outside voices think of Kamara, but how much of that noise spills into camp as the team tries to settle on its direction. [Read more 🡒]
Former Rams Lineman Just Landed The Kind Of Deal Fans Notice
David Edwards is back in a familiar kind of job for a team that needed stability up front, and the Saints made sure to get it with a four-year commitment. The offensive guard brings a rsum built across stops with the Rams and Bills, along with the sort of starting mileage and postseason experience front offices tend to value when they are trying to settle down an offensive line.
For New Orleans, the fit matters as much as the name. Edwards is expected to anchor the left guard spot in 2026 and help form a sturdier interior alongside Kelvin Banks Jr. and Erik McCoy, a setup the Saints hope can make the line look more reliable from week to week. The real question now is how much more protection the deal included, and just how heavily the Saints are investing in him as part of that upgrade. [Read more 🡒]
Saints May Have Found A Silver Lining In Vernon Broughtons Lost Year
Vernon Broughtons rookie year never really got started, but the Saints may still come out ahead after the long detour. The third-round pick spent most of the season sidelined by a hip injury, and while he was missing on Sundays, he was still getting work in other ways - learning the defense, absorbing the playbook and trying to make sure the lost reps did not turn into lost progress. New Orleans defense held up well without him, which only adds to the sense that his return could be more addition than rescue.
Broughton was cleared to resume normal activities in March, and now the attention shifts to whether the rookie can turn all that rehab-time preparation into something real on the defensive line. The Saints are expected to count on him alongside fellow rookie Christen Miller, and the appeal is obvious: a pair of young interior pieces developing while the units veteran core starts to age into a different phase. For a team that got by just fine in his absence, the next question is whether Broughton can turn a lost year into an early payoff. [Read more 🡒]