The New Orleans Saints are weird. Honestly, there is no other way to put it. For a decade, this franchise operated like a guy who maxes out fourteen credit cards to buy a yacht and somehow convinces the bank to give him a fifteenth. People have been screaming about "salary cap hell" in New Orleans since the Obama administration, yet the team just kept restructuring, kicking the can down the road, and somehow staying relevant.
But 2026 feels different. The can has finally hit a wall, and for the first time in forever, the Saints aren’t just trying to survive the week—they’re actually looking at a map.
New Orleans Saints: What Most People Get Wrong About the Rebuild
You’ve heard it a million times: the Saints are stuck. They're old, they're over budget, and they're stubborn. While that was arguably true during the late Dennis Allen era, the arrival of Kellen Moore as head coach in early 2025 flipped the script. Moore didn't just bring a Super Bowl ring from his time with the Eagles; he brought a realization that the "all-in" mentality of the Drew Brees years was a ghost that needed to be exorcised.
Last season wasn't pretty. A 6-11 record in 2025 is a tough pill to swallow for a fan base used to NFC South dominance. However, that season served as a massive "cap reset." By the time the 2026 league year started, the front office finally began to see daylight. It wasn’t a "tear it down to the studs" rebuild, but more of a "stop buying expensive stuff we don't need" pivot.
💡 You might also like: Duke Football Recruiting 2025: Manny Diaz Just Flipped the Script in Durham
The Derek Carr Era is Over—Now What?
The biggest shock to the system was Derek Carr's retirement. It accelerated everything. Originally, the Saints were staring at a monstrous $67 million cap hit for Carr in 2026. His departure, while sudden, effectively forced the team’s hand. They had to get younger. They had to get cheaper.
Enter Tyler Shough.
If you haven't been paying attention to the QB room, Shough emerged as the guy Kellen Moore wants to build around. Mickey Loomis, the ever-enigmatic GM, has been uncharacteristically vocal about Shough’s potential. He’s got the arm, sure, but he’s also playing on a rookie-scale deal that allows the Saints to actually breathe.
📖 Related: Dodgers Black Heritage Night 2025: Why It Matters More Than the Jersey
Then there’s the defense. Brandon Staley is calling the shots now as defensive coordinator. It’s a 3-4 alignment that looks nothing like the units Sean Payton used to run. It’s aggressive, it’s complicated, and it relies heavily on young stars like Kelvin Banks Jr., who the Saints took in the first round last year. Banks lived up to the hype, providing the kind of blindside protection that makes a young quarterback actually want to stand in the pocket.
Living With the $91 Million Ghost
We have to talk about the money because, with the Saints, it’s always about the money. Heading into the 2026 offseason, the team still has about $91 million in dead cap on the books. That is a staggering number. It’s basically paying for a fleet of Ferraris that have already been crushed at the junkyard.
Current veterans like Cam Jordan and Demario Davis are the heart and soul of this team, but their contracts are littered with "void years." This is the bill finally coming due. Mickey Loomis recently noted that the goal for the 2026 draft—where the Saints hold the No. 8 overall pick—is to find "ten-year players." No more trading up for projects. No more mortgaging 2028 to win an extra game in 2025.
👉 See also: College Football Top 10: What Most People Get Wrong About the 2026 Rankings
2026 Draft Priorities (The Real List)
- The Edge Rusher Problem: With Cam Jordan's career winding down, the Saints are desperate for a game-changer. Ohio State’s Arvell Reese is the name everyone in New Orleans is whispering about. He’s been compared to Micah Parsons, and if he falls to No. 8, Loomis might actually sprint to the podium.
- Running Game Reset: The Saints ranked 31st in rushing efficiency last year. Alvin Kamara is still a legend, but he can’t do it alone. Look for them to target a guy like Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love in the middle rounds.
- Secondary Depth: Brandon Staley’s system lives and dies on elite nickel play. They need bodies there.
Why the NFC South is Wide Open
Honestly, the division is kind of a mess. The Falcons are perpetually "almost there," the Bucs are aging, and the Panthers are... well, the Panthers. Despite the 6-11 finish last year, there’s a weirdly high level of optimism in the building. Kellen Moore’s "Air Coryell" scheme actually started to click in the final month of the 2025 season.
They aren't just chucking it deep anymore. It’s about spacing. It’s about getting the ball to Chris Olave, who the team officially picked up the fifth-year option on. Olave is the centerpiece. If the Saints can find a reliable No. 2 receiver to replace the traded Rashid Shaheed, this offense could actually be scary again.
The "New Orleans Saints" identity is shifting from a veteran-heavy, cap-strapped juggernaut to a young, fast, and fiscally responsible (well, more responsible) unit. It’s a transition that usually takes teams five years. The Saints are trying to do it in two.
Actionable Steps for the 2026 Offseason
If you're following this team, keep your eyes on these three specific moves over the next few months:
- Monitor the Post-June 1 Cuts: The Saints still need to clear about $14M to $23M in effective cap space. Watch what happens with the remaining veteran contracts; if they start cutting legacy players, you know the youth movement is 100% official.
- The Pro Day Circuit: Pay attention to who Kellen Moore and Mickey Loomis visit personally. If they are at the Ohio State or Notre Dame pro days, they are telegraphing their draft strategy.
- The WR2 Search: With Shaheed gone, the Saints have a massive hole in the vertical game. Watch for a mid-tier free agent signing—someone who won't break the bank but can keep safeties honest for Olave.
The era of "faking it until you make it" with the salary cap is over in New Orleans. The bill is being paid, the roster is getting younger, and for the first time in a long time, the future doesn't look like a mountain of debt. It looks like a football team.