The New Orleans Saints are learning the hard way that it’s not easy to replace Drew Brees. For the second straight year, the Saints missed the playoffs while their collection of quarterbacks didn’t play up to expectation. Finding a good passer is the fastest way to get back to the playoffs, so let’s take a look at the Saints roster and see how they can improve the most important position in the game.
New Orleans Saints Quarterback Situation Entering the Offseason
On the Roster: Jameis Winston, Jake Luton
After a promising start to the 2021 season, Jameis Winston started 2022 under center for New Orleans. However, it didn’t take long for his time as QB1 to come to an end.
The quarterback started the first three games of the season, completing 63.5% of his passes for 858 yards, four touchdowns, and five interceptions. Winston then suffered an injury, opening the door for Andy Dalton to take the job and never look back.
Unfortunately, this could very well be the end of Winston’s time in New Orleans. The former first-overall pick currently carries a $15.6 million cap hit, and the cash-strapped Saints could clear $4.4 million by cutting Winston. They’d still be paying Winston $11.2 million to not play for the team, but that savings might be worth it.
Jake Luton is the definition of a camp arm. The quarterback hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since he made three emergency starts for the 2020 Jacksonville Jaguars. During his short stint as a starter, he completed 54.5% of his passes for 624 yards, two touchdowns, and six interceptions.
The Free Agent: Andy Dalton
One of the lone bright spots on the 2022 New Orleans Saints, Andy Dalton ended up spending most of the season under center. Not only did he play more than anyone thought he would, but he played reasonably well. Starting 14 games, the veteran quarterback completed 66.7% of his passes for 2,871 yards, 18 touchdowns, and nine interceptions while guiding the team to a 6-8 record.
ANDY DALTON TO CHRIS OLAVE 🎯
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/Imz1t1dxYz
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 20, 2022
At this point in his career, Dalton is a fine bridge quarterback. However, the complete lack of upside keeps him from being anything more than a top-30 quarterback in the league. Even at his best, Dalton’s physical skills were always below-average, and the years have taken away some of his athleticism and arm strength. Put simply, there is no upside with Dalton. He might not be bad enough to singlehandedly lose you a game, but he’s not good enough to win them either.
Dalton’s conservative style of play makes him a better fit for Dennis Allen’s safe offense than Winston. Considering Dalton probably won’t receive a massive contract, the Saints should consider bringing the veteran back on an incentive-laden deal to keep the seat warm for the Saints quarterback of the future.
Outside Help
Regardless of if the Saints keep Dalton or Winston, they should be looking to upgrade their quarterbacks. Unfortunately, they don’t have an easy way to do that, as free agency and the NFL Draft both pose plenty of problems.
As far as free agency is concerned, it’s safe to assume that Lamar Jackson and Daniel Jones will not hit the open market. This leaves Tom Brady as the best option, and it’s hard to imagine the 45-year-old wanting to spend his final days with a team that isn’t going to be a serious contender in 2023. With that in mind, the best realistic option is someone like Jimmy Garoppolo or Derek Carr (if he’s released), and those players aren’t notably better than Dalton.
This leaves the NFL Draft as the best pathway to a franchise quarterback. Unfortunately, the Saints don’t have the draft capital to get one of the top passers in the class. Even when they trade Sean Payton, they probably won’t receive anything more than a mid to late first-round pick.
Assuming the Saints don’t have a path to C.J. Stroud, Will Levis, or Bryce Young, New Orleans’ best-case scenario is likely Anthony Richardson. Richardson is an incredibly raw prospect but has elite physical tools that could make him a top-five quarterback if everything breaks right. Perhaps the Saints could have Dalton start in 2023 before handing the reigns over to Richardson in 2024.
