Five Saints Under the Most Pressure in 2023

After an extremely aggressive offseason and consecutive years without a playoff berth, here are the Saints under the most pressure to succeed this season.

The New Orleans Saints have missed the playoffs for two consecutive years. It's the first time that's happened since 2015-16. They finished with a 7-10 record in 2022, their first losing record since 2016, and the first double-digit loss campaign since the Katrina disaster of 2005.

These struggles prompted several changes in personnel for the Saints, both on the field and in the coaching staff. The defensive staff is almost entirely new, despite a top-10 ranking in total yardage for the last four seasons and a strong finish last year. New Orleans will also have a new starting quarterback, two new starters at defensive tackle, along with several new faces on their depth chart.

So, who's under the most pressure as the Saints enter 2023?

5. Michael Thomas, WR

New Orleans Saints receiver Michael Thomas (13) catches a pass over Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell (24). Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

After AVERAGING over 117 catches and 1,378 yards over his first four seasons, Thomas has been plagued by injuries in the last three campaigns. He's been sidelined for 40 of the Saints' last 50 regular season contests, including the last 14 games of 2022.

When on the field, Thomas has shown that he's still extremely productive. In three games last season, he caught 16 passes for 171 yards and three touchdowns. At 6'3" and 212-Lbs., Thomas is one of the NFL's most physical receivers. He's also the league's most precise route runner and has elite hands, making him nearly impossible to cover on intermediate levels.

Even with the talent that New Orleans has at wideout now, Thomas adds a rare dimension to the offense. He reworked his deal to stay with the team this offseason, but could be a free agent at year's end. Now 30 years old, expect a motivated Thomas to play for another big payday. 

4. Trevor Penning, LT

San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa (97) rushes against New Orleans Saints tackle Trevor Penning (70). Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The Saints made a few trades to acquire two first-round picks in the 2022 draft. Wideout Chris Olave, the 11th overall choice, had a marvelous rookie year and is a vital part of the offense. With their second first-rounder, New Orleans drafted OT Trevor Penning at Number 19 overall. 

Considered raw but extremely physical out of Northern Iowa, Penning improved with each preseason outing. Unfortunately, he suffered a foot injury that kept him out the first 11 games of the year. Once healthy, Penning was used as an extra blocker on short yardage packages until getting his first start in the regular season finale.

Penciled in as the starter at left tackle, Penning must show quickly why the Saints invested a first-round choice in him. He's a mauler in the running game, but must be able to provide standout pass protection as well. Doing so will allow the team to use reliable veteran James Hurst at an inside spot if/when G Andrus Peat gets injured and bolsters the depth and versatility of the entire offensive line. 

3. Pete Carmichael, OC

Jul 27, 2022; New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael looks on during training camp at Ochsner Sports Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

New Orleans ranked just 19th in total offense last year and a lowly 28th the year before that. Injuries and the failure to replace QB Drew Brees certainly were major contributors. However, the Saints lacked imagination and creativity, consistency falling infuriatingly short in crucial situations. 

Former head coach Sean Payton is one of the finest offensive minds in the game. Carmichael has been the team’s offensive coordinator for the last 14 years and on Payton's staff since 2006. Play-calling was a major issue last year, leading some to be surprised when Carmichael was retained this offseason. 

Carmichael has plenty of talent. Thomas, RB Alvin Kamara, RT Ryan Ramczyk, and C Erik McCoy are among the league's best at their positions. Their offensive line is a physical and formidable unit. Olave, Rashid Shaheed, and TE Juwan Johnson are explosive playmakers. Offseason acquisitions Jamaal Williams, Foster Moreau, Kendre Miller, and A.T. Perry are major upgrades in depth. 

Carmichael also now has a quarterback capable of running his intricate system. There are no excuses for another poor performance. If so, there will likely be the same massive changeover on the offensive staff as there was on the defensive side this year. At the very least.

2. Derek Carr, QB 

Oct 30, 2022; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) passes downfield against the New Orleans Saints. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY

New Orleans is betting $100 million dollars that they've found the successor to Brees. That's how much guaranteed money they're paying the 32-year-old Carr, who they signed to a five-year contract after his release from the Raiders. 

Carr has had a solid career. He's completed nearly 65% of his career passes in nine years for 35,222 passes with 217 touchdowns and 99 interceptions. That includes four seasons with at least 4,000 yards through the air, including a career-high 4,804 in 2021. He's done it without the type of talent he'll have in New Orleans, but also comes in with a 63-79 career record. 

This will be Carr's sixth head coach and sixth different offensive coordinator as he heads into his tenth year. The fact that he's remained productive says that he is able to grasp any offensive system quickly.

Replacing a legend is a monumental task. Yet, that's exactly what faces Carr in New Orleans. He'll attempt to do it with more talent than he's ever played with, but expectations will be astronomical. He'll also take on the task with a familiar face in the coach who drafted him. 

1. Dennis Allen, Coach 

New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen looks on against the Carolina Panthers. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Carr need look no further than his head coach for advice on replacing a franchise legend. Allen went just 7-10 in his first year as Sean Payton's successor. More concerning is the fact that Allen now has a putrid 16-38 career record as head coach following a failed 2+ year stint with the Raiders. It was Allen who drafted Derek Carr in the second round out of Fresno State in his final year with Oakland. 

An outstanding defensive mind, Allen came under constant fire for his decision-making last season. To the chagrin of some fans, he was retained by the organization for a second year. The Saints have never fired a head coach after one year. Only Hank Stram (28 games) was let go after two seasons. 

Allen made plenty of changes this offseason. Almost all of his new defensive staff has worked with him in the past. His new quarterback was a player that he originally drafted in 2014. He spearheaded several personnel moves in an extremely aggressive offseason for the team.

It's now clear that this is Dennis Allen's team, not a squad he merely inherited from Payton. As such, there are zero excuses for another failed season with so much talent and tons of familiar faces. Plenty of people will be under pressure for the Saints in 2023, but Allen's spot will be the first to get red-hot with a slow start to the season.