Four New Orleans Saints Players Who Must Rebound For The Team To Be Successful This Season

These players were a big part of four straight division championships with the Saints, but must now return to a high level of play for the team to again achieve that level of success

New Orleans Saints defenders Cameron Jordan and Marshon Lattimore make a tackle against the Atlanta Falcons / Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

From 2017 to 2020, the New Orleans Saints were a dominant NFL team. The Saints won four consecutive NFC South titles over that span, something no other franchise has accomplished in that division. They had a 49-15 regular season record in those four years, an impressive winning percentage of. 766.

Unfortunately, New Orleans was unable to bring home a second Super Bowl championship with that success. Goodell's Goon Squad of Corruption stole one title in 2018-2019, while bad luck and untimely breakdowns cost the Saints other potential chances. Nevertheless, a talented core of players had the Saints near the top of the league for that four-year stretch.

Much of that core has dissipated in the last few seasons via retirement (Drew Brees, Mark Ingram), moving on (Sean Payton, Michael Thomas, Marcus Williams, Terron Armstead, David Onyemata, Andrus Peat), or decline due to injury (Ryan Ramczyk).

Two notable players of that successful group, Demario Davis and Erik McCoy, are still playing at a high level. A few more remain capable of outstanding play, but are coming off down years and surrounded by questions. Today's piece focuses on those players and how their ability to rebound is a key to the Saints success in 2024.

Cameron Jordan, DE

New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan (94) puts pressure on Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) / Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com / USA

Jordan has been one of the most underrated defenders in the NFL for the better part of his 13-year career.  His 117.5 career sacks are second among active players and the 28th highest unofficial total in NFL history.  He has six seasons of double-digit sack totals and has at least 7.5 takedowns in 11 of his 13 seasons.

More than just a pass rush specialist, Jordan has always been terrific against the run and has logged a high snap count for the defense year after year.  Also the franchise's all-time leader with 153 tackles for loss, Jordan should be a lock for the Pro Football Hall of Fame when he retires.

"Minor injuries have piled up for Jordan the last few years.  The production noticeably slipped in 2022, then plummeted last season. His two sacks, six QB hits, and three tackles for loss in 2023 were all the lowest totals since his rookie season.

At 35, Jordan may no longer be the All-Pro down to down disruption he once was.  However, he's still a capable performer and important part of the defense. New Orleans is hoping for a continued upward arc from Carl Granderson, Payton Turner and newly added Chase Young to actually stay healthy, and development from Isaiah Foskey. If those things happen, Jordan can be highly effective on a bit more limited snap count than we've seen in the past and therefore could potentially be a situational playmaker even late into the season."

Alvin Kamara, RB

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) runs in a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts / Jenna Watson/IndyStar / USA TODAY

Arguably the face of the franchise since Drew Brees retired after the 2020 season, Kamara has steadily moved up the franchise record list in several categories. He's already the Saints all-time leader in rushing touchdowns, total touchdowns, along with receptions, yards, and receiving scores by a running back. Entering 2024, Kamara is only 672 yards from passing Mark Ingram II as the franchise's all-time leading rusher.

For most of his seven seasons, Kamara has been the NFL's most versatile offensive weapon. He has elite vision and balance with the ability to strike fear in a defense from anywhere along the formation. The finest receiving back in the league, Kamara is equally dangerous from the slot or even as an outside receiver.

New Orleans usage of Kamara has been atrocious in recent seasons. After averaging 82 catches and 706 receiving yards in his first four years, he's averaged just 60 receptions for 465 yards over the last three seasons. Kamara averaged nearly 14 touchdowns per year between 2017 and 2021. Over the last two years, he's reached the end zone a total of just 10 times.

Kamara, who turns 29 this month, is coming off career-lows of 53.4 rushing yards per game and 6.2 per reception in 2023 while averaging only 3.9 per rush. These struggles were partly because of an awful offensive line, but the team has also done an abysmal job of getting their best offensive weapon in space.

Klint Kubiak helped oversee a 49ers attack that saw RB Christian McCaffrey win the Offensive Player of the Year award last season. Kamara may not be quite the pure rusher that McCaffrey is, but he has better overall receiving ability. It shouldn't be a stretch to expect Kamara to have the best numbers of his career in Kubiak's offense this season.

Marshon Lattimore, CB

New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore (23) intercepts a pass against the Tennessee Titans / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

If Lattimore was in a major market like New York or Los Angeles or on a franchise constantly pushed by the national media, then he'd be a household name. As it is, Lattimore is still highly respected among NFL players and coaches as being one of the top defensive backs in the game.

Over his seven-year career, Lattimore has 15 interceptions, 86 passes broken up, and forced or recovered 10 fumbles. More importantly, his elite coverage ability often allows him to shadow an opponent’s top receiver one-on-one, enabling the Saints to be more aggressive and imaginative with their game plans.

A four-time Pro Bowler and 2017 Defensive Rookie of the Year, Lattimore routinely shuts down the NFL's best receivers. Over his career, he's allowed less than 56% completion percentage when targeted. Those are the numbers of an elite game-changer at cornerback.

Lattimore has struggled with injuries the last two seasons. He's missed a combined 17 contests the last two years and has played in only 12 of his team's last 29 outings. The good news is that when he's been on the field, he still shows the traits of a top-level defensive back.

New Orleans CB Paulson Adebo is coming off an outstanding season. Third-year defensive back Alontae Taylor slumped a bit last year after a strong rookie campaign, but still has the traits of a very good defender. Joining them is former Alabama CB Kool-Aid McKinstry, a second-round pick in this year's draft. Those three make up a very good trio of corners. It's a group that becomes elite if Marshon Lattimore remains healthy and even close to the player he's been over his first seven years.

Cesar Ruiz, G

New Orleans Saints guard Cesar Ruiz (51) blocks against the Philadelphia Eagles / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

The only player on this list that wasn't around for most of the Saints four-year dominance is Ruiz, a 2020 first-round choice out of Michigan. He'd appear in 15 games as a rookie on the Saints' last playoff team, but started only nine contests and had trouble securing a starting role.

Handed the right guard job in 2021, Ruiz got off to a solid start but quickly became a liability. This was especially so as a pass blocker, where he was often a human turnstile for opposing rushers.

Ruiz appeared to turn a corner in 2022. He was arguably the team's most consistent blocker that season and looked like the player that convinced New Orleans to spend a first-round choice on him. It was enough to earn a contract extension from the Saints early in the 2023 campaign.

Ruiz regressed noticeably last season, looking more like the liability from 2021. He's now in a new system under Kubiak, one predicated on establishing the run with a zone-blocking scheme. While most of the attention is on whether the Saints can improve their tackle spots, Ruiz needs to show the abilities of a top draft choice to help the offense take big steps forward from its struggles the previous three years.