Coming off a 7-10 season in the surprisingly weak NFC South, the New Orleans Saints are one of the hardest teams to forecast entering the 2023 campaign.
Alvin Kamara was a shadow of the Pro Bowl-level player he has been in the past, as this Saints team relied on its stout defense to keep games close.
Thankfully for New Orleans fans, the big-name signings during the offseason came on the offensive side of the ball, where the Saints picked up former Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr and Detroit Lions running back Jamaal Williams (who led the NFL with 17 rushing touchdowns a season ago).
New Orleans hopes this duo can jump-start the NFL's 22nd-ranked scoring offense from 2022.
The Saints' defense was their strength last year, and they experienced some major losses on the defensive line during free agency.
David Onyemata, Shy Tuttle, and Marcus Davenport — who started a combined 40 games between them in 2022 — all signed elsewhere.
The franchise signed Nathan Shepherd, formerly of the New York Jets, and ex-Kansas City Chief Khalen Saunders, plus added Clemson defensive tackle Bryan Breese in the first round of the NFL Draft to address this need.
The Saints also filled another hole in the draft: edge rusher. No New Orleans player totaled more than eight sacks last season and Kaden Ellis, who finished second on the team in sacks, joined the division rival Atlanta Falcons during free agency.
Second-round pick Isaiah Foskey led Notre Dame in sacks and tackles for a loss during his redshirt junior season and gives the Saints the true pass-rusher they have craved.
One area the franchise failed to address, either through the draft or free agency, was wide receiver. Chris Olave was the only Saint wideout to surpass 500 yards receiving a year ago, leading to quarterback Andy Dalton's early departure from the Bayou.
While free agency is the obvious place to search for a competent wideout, the Saints have shown that they can find talented pass-catchers as undrafted free agents as well.
Last season a pair of Big Sky Conference products: wide receiver Rashid Shaheed out of Weber St and offensive lineman Lewis Kidd to Montana State, made an impact for the Saints as undrafted free agents.
Shaheed caught 28 passes for 488 yards — both good enough for second among New Orleans receivers — while Kidd played 78 snaps from scrimmage across 13 contests and made an impact as a blocker on special teams.
Undrafted Free Agent Who Will Make Saints Roster
New Orleans brought in two wideouts as undrafted free agents following the conclusion of the draft — South Carolina States' Shaq Davis and Davenport's Sy Barnett.
Davis is a tall, unpolished player with strong physical tools, but Barnett is the more intriguing option.
Barnett played his entire career at the DII level in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, first with powerhouse Ferris State and then with Davenport — making him the first Davenport Panther to sign an NFL contract.
The Michigan native impressed teams during his pro day, running a 4.38-second 40-yard dash and demonstrating good agility and strong hands.
His varied skillset also includes significant work in the return game and experience as a kicking specialist. Barnett punted 19 times for an average of 42 yards last year, and in 2021 he hit 7-10 field goals while also going 51-57 on extra points.
The scouts say he still needs to improve as a route runner- and there are the obvious questions about the level of competition he faced, but the Saints are desperate for wide receiver production.
Barnett's physical talent puts him in a prime position to make the final roster for New Orleans.
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