The Saints have a few more things they must accomplish to ensure success in 2024

The New Orleans Saints have made quite a few moves this offseason, but to guarantee success during the 2024 season, there are a few more things to get done.
New Orleans Saints Mandatory Minicamp
New Orleans Saints Mandatory Minicamp / Derick E. Hingle/GettyImages
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The NFL world is entering the final stretch of the offseason. Teams have completed their offseason programs and are now on break until they return for training camp in late July. However, the offseason work is far from done, specifically from an organizational perspective.

During this down time, teams must reflect on what they saw during OTAs and minicamp, and assess their roster. Every franchise will have to ask two important questions. The first question: is their team set up to contend? If they aren’t, the next question: are there moves the team can make before the season to reach that point? If the answer is yes, teams should get to work to make those moves.

Matt Holder, in a Bleacher Report piece, recently carried out that process, giving every team a to-do list for the rest of the offseason. For the New Orleans Saints, Holder gave the team four specific tasks: sign a left tackle, add a guard, find a nickel corner, and trade Alvin Kamara.

Saints instructed to trade Alvin Kamara, amongst other offseason tasks

Trading Kamara is definitely the most noteworthy item on this list. Holder argues that Kamara isn’t the same running back he once was, and that his time in New Orleans is nearing an end anyway, so the Saints could just move on from the contract drama by finding Kamara a new home. While that’s plausible, Kamara is a big part of the team’s plans in 2024; it wouldn’t make sense to move him without committing to a full rebuild.

As far as the other items, Holder says New Orleans should find a veteran tackle that could be an insurance option just in case first-round pick Taliese Fuaga isn’t ready. Along those lines, Holder argues that it also makes sense to add competition at left guard. Teams should always make sure they have the best offensive line possible.

Then there’s finding a nickel corner. Praising Marshon Lattimore and Paulson Adebo for their abilities on the outside, Holder detailed Alontae Taylor’s struggles as a nickel corner last season. Acknowledging that rookie Kool-Aid McKinstry could be the answer New Orleans is looking for, Holder still thinks it makes sense to bring in some veteran insurance.

Aside from trading Kamara, it’s hard to disagree with Holder’s suggestions. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, so the Saints should definitely add some quality veterans that could deliver if the inexperienced players aren’t ready.

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