The Saints (5-10) hit rock bottom in Week 16’s 34-0 loss to the Packers (11-4).
There aren’t any quick fixes to make the Saints a contender in 2025, but the franchise can begin laying the groundwork for its next playoff-caliber team this offseason.
Here are three things New Orleans should do to lift itself out of the NFL’s lower class.
1. Restructure front office
As New Orleans begins its rebuild, owner Gayle Benson should consider starting at the top.
General manager Mickey Loomis has been in his post since 2002. Per Stathead, the Saints have the league’s ninth-most wins during that span (208), only trailing the Packers (230), Eagles (218) and Seahawks (212) in the NFC.
While Loomis has proved to be among the most adept GMs at manipulating the salary cap, he’s also responsible for the Saints’ current quagmire. Plus, with New Orleans needing a head coach, it might be better to start over at general manager, too, so the positions are aligned.
The NFL front-office pipeline is filled with executives who are due for promotions. New Orleans has plucked several former Chiefs — including safety Tyrann Mathieu, defensive lineman Khalen Saunders and linebacker Willie Gay Jr. — over the past couple of seasons and could look to their front office for its next lead executive.
Assistant general manager Mike Borgonzi, who has been with the Chiefs for 16 seasons, would be a top contender for a promotion.
Bucs assistant general manager John Spytek would be another intriguing option after helping build Tampa Bay into a three-time (and counting) NFC South champion.
Other NFL front offices will have other deserving candidates, giving New Orleans several options to reassemble its power structure.
2. Add 2025 NFL Draft capital
Allow us to summarize New Orleans’ early 2025 NFL Draft positional needs:
New Orleans needs as much help as possible, but given its difficult salary-cap position, it won’t be able to add much talent via free agency.
The Saints also entered the season with the league’s fourth-oldest roster (h/t Philly Voice), requiring an infusion of youth. New Orleans needs cheap, green, affordable players, making the draft the best place for it to change its fortune.
It began stockpiling picks by trading cornerback Marshon Lattimore to the Commanders, and it could expand its number of draft selections by making more veterans available via trade.
Defensive end Carl Granderson, linebacker Demario Davis and tight end Foster Moreau are among the Saints players under contract in 2025 who could be valuable to certain teams for later-round draft picks.
The Saints’ biggest trade chip is arguably wide receiver Chris Olave. He’s proved he can be a WR1 in his first three seasons and would be an asset to a contender.
3. Clear the deck for 2026 (and beyond)
New Orleans should avoid long-term commitments for the next couple of seasons. After being up against the salary-cap wall for seasons, the Saints must refrain from tying money up into seasons past 2025.
New Orleans could be one of the league’s worst teams next season, giving it solid odds of earning 2026’s No. 1 overall pick. If New Orleans hits on its selections, it could add to a suddenly young core in free agency in 2027 and beyond.
A multiyear rebuild isn’t anyone’s idea of fun, but the Saints must ask themselves how much they’ve enjoyed the past four postseason-less years. The worse the Saints are in the short term, the quicker the good times will roll again.