We can be sure about this for the 2018 iteration of the New Orleans Saints: they will be explosive. On the defensive side of the ball, their aggressive play has offenses struggling to keep their hands on the ball. The Saints pulled in a solid 42 sacks and 25 takeaways in the 2017 season, and with the influx of talent like rookie Marcus Davenport to complement Cameron Jordan, those numbers could increase. The talent is there, but the consistency hasn’t been.

The Saints defense will need to improve on that No. 17 total ranking in 2017, and the talent is there to do it.The offensive side of the ball will blend veteran leadership and rookie speed. Alvin Kamara, the 2017 Offensive Rookie of the Year, and Mark Ingram will form a formidable backfield once Ingram returns from suspension for PEDs.

The Saints offensive line is solid as well, not star
studded or dominant, but definitely in the upper echelon of the NFL.

The X-Factor on this team is Drew Brees. So far, the 17-year career of the grizzled quarterback
has defied both doctors and expectations. However, he has shown signs of aging in recent
seasons. Brees is still elite, don’t misunderstand me, but with the youth at the skill positions he
can’t afford to be anything less than elite if the Saints are to build on their 2017 season.

New Orleans is still one of the best teams in the whole NFC, and should win the NFC South.

Whether they can take that extra step and be one of the best teams in the NFL remains to be
seen.