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Following another offseason full of roster changes, few teams will look more different in 2025 than the New Orleans Saints. In addition to adding nine compelling rookies at the 2025 NFL Draft, the Saints endured arguably the worst free agency period in the league.
The team's biggest headline of the offseason was the shocking retirement of Derek Carr, which left them in a state of disarray. Carr's sudden retirement came shortly after New Orleans drafted Tyler Shough in the second round, a move it made given the uncertainty surrounding the 34-year-old's shoulder injury. Regardless, the Saints did not plan to start Shough in Week 1, but are now in a position where that is the most likely scenario.
Carr's retirement was not the Saints' only loss in free agency. Before watching their starting quarterback walk away, New Orleans lost Paulson Adebo, Willie Gay, Anfernee Orji, Payton Turner, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Will Harris in free agency. Given their current cap situation, the losses outweighed the signings they made early on.
The changes force New Orleans into a difficult situation, particularly with first-year head coach Kellen Moore taking over. The Saints are suddenly facing a potential rebuilding year, thrusting their rookies into a bigger role out of the gates in 2025 than initially expected. Without Carr, the team's young talent will get more of a look in the offseason than they might have gotten before.
S Tyrann Mathieu
Tyrann Mathieu is unquestionably one of the leaders of the Saints' defense. But after consecutive regressive seasons in New Orleans, Mathieu turned 33 in May, with red flags of a colossal decline popping up everywhere. The writing is on the wall, and general manager Mickey Loomis responded accordingly in the offseason.
In his first season with the team, Mathieu looked like his old self, recording 91 tackles, eight pass breakups and three interceptions in 2022. However, he has gradually declined since then, posting 75 tackles in 2023 and 62 in 2024. His interception numbers remained consistent, but he received a career-low 60.5 player grade from Pro Football Focus in 2024, placing him in the bottom half of all eligible safeties in the league.
With Mathieu's decline visible to all, Loomis signed former Kansas City Chiefs safety Justin Reid in free agency. He subsequently drafted the versatile Jonas Sanker in the third round. Reid's signing largely offsets the loss of Harris, but Sanker seems to be the player the Saints hope will succeed Mathieu.
Sanker did not enter the draft as an elite prospect, but was on nearly every team's radar as an undervalued mid-round target. With 205 tackles in his final two seasons at Virginia, Sanker is an elite run-stopper with above-average ball-tracking skills in coverage. His 6-foot-1 frame is ideal for the position, allowing him to play with the physicality he loves to enforce.
Ideally, Mathieu will hold down the fort for at least one more season while Sanker gets his feet beneath him. While an intriguing prospect, Sanker is far from perfect and has some deficiencies that will take time to shore up. But if Mathieu does not have the best offseason, Sanker is already nipping at his heels and could easily surpass him early in the year, particularly if the veteran's recent downward trend continues.
RB Kendre Miller
When the Saints drafted Kendre Miller in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, they viewed him as the perfect complement to Alvin Kamara. As a gritty inside runner, Miller paired perfectly with Kamara's dual-threat skill set on paper.
However, Miller has played just 14 total games two years into his career, spending most of his time on injured reserve. Even when he has been on the field, Miller has taken his 80 carries for just 304 rushing yards, averaging a meager 3.8 yards per carry. Even for a short-yardage back, those numbers are incredibly disappointing.
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New Orleans might not entirely give up on Miller just yet, but the door is slightly open. The Saints took Devin Neal in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, giving Miller competition over the offseason. Neal became the team's first running back taken in the draft since Miller.
Neal does not enter the league with much hype, but his presence directly threatens Miller. Nobody threatens Alvin Kamara, even as the five-time Pro Bowler prepares for his age-30 season. Instead, Neal's skill set as a physical and balanced runner is a bigger concern for Miller.
Kamara's role might not completely diminish, but he is in for fewer rushes in 2025. Running backs over 28 rarely take a featured role in the backfield. Kamara, who is coming off a career-high 950 rushing yards in 2024, has never been a workhorse back to begin with. His best years have come with another solid rushing threat pairing with him. The Saints are appropriately concerned about Miller's ceiling in that regard, giving Neal an avenue to immediate playing time.
Given its uncertainty under center, New Orleans will need a reliable run game in 2025. Neal joins the team after three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons to end his collegiate career. He is the first Kansas running back to accomplish that feat while ending his tenure as the program's all-time leading rusher. Neal is not one of the Saints' prized rookies of the 2025 draft class, but he is an intriguing piece of the roster who will push Miller in the offseason.
CB Alontae Taylor
The Saints' cornerback room is in a weird position after losing Adebo in free agency. Adebo departed months after New Orleans traded Marshon Lattimore to the Washington Commanders, forcing the team to enter 2025 with a revamped secondary.
The openings clear the way for Alontae Taylor and Kool-Aid McKinstry, a pair of former second-round draft picks. The Saints are high on McKinstry, who is coming off a promising rookie season, but have more concerns with Taylor. Despite having two more years of experience, Taylor appears less prepared to accept a full-time starting role after receiving a disastrous 45.0 player grade from PFF, ranking in the bottom 10 percent of the league.
With both McKinstry and Taylor largely unproven, the Saints added depth with Isaac Yiadom in free agency and a batch of incoming rookies. Most notably, Loomis took Louisville standout Quincy Riley in the fourth round.
Riley, a 2024 second-team All-ACC cornerback, joins the team with a wealth of NCAA experience. The 24-year-old spent three years each at Middle Tennessee and Louisville, making him one of the most experienced players of the draft class. Scouts typically shy away from six-year prospects, but Riley still stood out in the loaded defensive back class.
Prospects as seasoned as Riley are not typically given as much leeway. The Saints' fourth-round investment, despite his age and tackle concerns, shows their trust in him. New Orleans' wide-open cornerback room provides a window of opportunity for all involved. Taylor's experience gives him the handle for now, but Riley will push him all offseason.
