WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES.
At this time last year, the New Orleans Saints were a team surrounded by doubt. There were questions about newly hired head coach Kellen Moore, and uncertainty at quarterback after the sudden retirement of veteran Derrick Carr.
The team was once again over the salary cap—what many called cap hell. The Saints entered the 2025 offseason with a field of questions. Could Kellen Moore lead them back to respectability? Was he the right hire? Would he get the time to turn things around? Would he be forced to take players not of his choosing? What would the veterans do—what did stars like Cam Jordan and Demario Davis have left? Could young cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry step up with the departure of Paulson Adebo to the New York Giants?
Then, just like Derrick Carr’s surprise retirement, there was another shock before camp: Tyrann Mathieu—the Honey Badger, the New Orleans native and St. Augustine High graduate—also hung it up. To replace his leadership and playmaking, the Saints turned to his former teammate, bringing in Louisiana native safety Justin Reid—born to lead a young secondary. Fast forward to the 2026 offseason, and wow—what a change.
The Saints became major players on the first day of free agency. In just one hour, they made more noise than in years. They signed arguably the top guard, David Edwards. They brought home Louisiana native Travis Etienne, in his prime. Once again, they called Noah Fant, and this time he answered—deciding to make New Orleans home. They even addressed a glaring special teams need, with punter Ryan Wright from Minnesota, who played at Tulane.
This 2026 offseason looks different. Every new Saint signed cited young quarterback Tyler Shough as the reason they came to New Orleans. The Saints got lucky—this is something that takes teams decades. And make no mistake, it took the Saints a long time to stumble upon Tyler Shough, who now looks like the franchise cornerstone—the one to lead them for the next 8 to 10 years. Yes, his nine starts last year were a small sample, but it was impossible to ignore what we saw—the way he elevated his teammates. There was something about him—leadership, determination, and that innate winning spirit. He overcame obstacles all his career.
Overlooked until the Senior Bowl, Shough proved one of the top rookies in 2025, in just nine starts So, Who Dat Nation, the Saints have a bright future. The Saints currently have $74 to $75 million in cap space in the green for 2027, as it stands today. They will have money to play with next year, to once again be big players in free agency next season. What a difference a year makes—especially in the Big Easy, especially in Who Dat Nation. This is Dolph Jackson, reminding you, family, the doors are now open—so come on in.
