Are the Saints ready to dominate the NFC South and return to the playoffs?

The New Orleans Saints haven’t been to the playoffs since the 2020 season. Drew Brees was the quarterback that year and Sean Payton was the head coach. With Dennis Allen and Derek Carr now at the helm, a lot has changed. Unfortunately, the level of success has changed as well.

If the Saints can’t get back to the postseason the year, it’s fair to assume that the franchise will be undergoing another round of changes. The franchise is currently working to prevent that, making new additions to the roster and coaching staff this offseason. The question is if the new additions are enough to make the playoffs.

The easy route to the postseason is winning the division. Can the Saints win the NFC South in 2024? Brad Gagnon answered that in a recent piece for Bleacher Report, explaining whether to buy or sell on teams looking to end a playoff drought. When it came to New Orleans, Gagnon argued to sell.

Bleacher Report isn’t optimistic that Saints will make playoffs

Gagnon explains that it makes sense for one to buy the idea that New Orleans will return to the postseason, saying that the division is wide open. Additionally, factor in that the Saints have a competent veteran quarterback and a solid defense, it’s easy to envision them winning the division.

However, Gagnon ultimately decides to sell because he believes New Orleans is the third-best team in the NFC South.

"The Falcons have become a lot stronger within that division, and the Buccaneers remain the three-time defending champion of the NFC South. The Saints look like a team treading water, not taking off. And quarterback Derek Carr really hasn't been at his best since around 2019 and 2020."

- Brad Gagnon (Bleacher Report)

The hype around the Atlanta Falcons is understandable considering they are a talented team that added Kirk Cousins, however, the Saints finished with the same 9-8 record as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season. There isn’t much explanation for the perceived gap between the Bucs and the Saints, other than the fact that Tampa Bay exceeded expectations and New Orleans fell short. Either way, all four teams in the division will have to prove it on the field next season, and New Orleans is definitely equipped to come out on top.

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