METAIRIE, La. – The New Orleans Saints finished the 2015 season with a record of 7-9, the same record they had in 2014. Yet there is an overwhelming sense that the arrow is pointing up this time, which was not the case one year ago.
Coach Sean Payton, general manager Mickey Loomis and quarterback Drew Brees all stressed that during their postseason news conferences.
The main reason is the Saints overhauled nearly half the roster last year in an effort to both rebuild the talent base and improve the character and culture of the locker room.
The Saints loaded up with nine draft picks last year -- their most since 2002 -- by trading away veteran players. They went into Week 1 with 11 rookies and four first-year players on the roster.
Payton talked often throughout the year about how energized he was by the attitude and work ethic of those young players. It’s not a stretch to suggest that played a key role in Payton’s decision to stay in New Orleans after other NFL teams reportedly expressed interest in prying him away.
“Listen, I’m very clear and very happy and focused and excited about what’s to come,” Payton said. “And a lot of it, I think, different than a year ago, was you get motivated as a teacher when your students are as excited about excelling as you are teaching. And I felt that this year.”
It’s too early to fully evaluate the Saints’ rookie class, something both Payton and Loomis stressed. But here is a quick glance:
OT Andrus Peat (Round 1, Pick 13): We saw some growing pains in Year 1, especially during training camp when Peat admittedly struggled with his conditioning. But the 6-foot-7, 316-pounder still has massive potential, and he gained experience while starting games at left tackle, right tackle and left guard.
All told, Peat played about 37 percent of the Saints’ offensive snaps. A full offseason to learn and focus on football conditioning should lead to a nice boost. It will be interesting to see if the Saints keep veteran right tackle Zach Strief or promote Peat into that role.
MLB Stephone Anthony (Round 1, Pick 31): Anthony made the biggest impact of any rookie, starting and playing nearly every snap as the middle linebacker and signal caller. He was credited by the NFL with 112 tackles (tied for 20th in the league). The Saints credited him with 142 tackles, which broke Rickey Jackson’s franchise record for a rookie. Anthony also had a sack, an interception and two forced fumbles.
Anthony experienced his own highs and lows, particularly in pass coverage. But the 6-foot-2, 245-pounder showed impressive athleticism and poise. Time will tell if Anthony can become a Pro Bowl-caliber player, but he certainly looks like a long-term starter at the very least.
Anthony had a funny line at the end of the year: “A lot of people say I got bigger, but I weigh basically the same,” Anthony said. “So maybe it’s just swelling from all the hits, or I’ve been working hard.”
OLB Hau’oli Kikaha (Round 2, Pick 44): Kikaha got off to the fastest start of any rookie with four sacks and three forced fumbles in the first six games. But he was stalled by a midseason ankle injury, and then his snap count went down late in the year.
The Saints are still trying to figure out how to best use Kikaha, who is small for a 4-3 defensive end (6-foot-3, 246 pounds) but remains a work in progress in pass coverage. Regardless, his athleticism and playmaking ability are a plus.
QB Garrett Grayson (Round 3, Pick 75): Grayson essentially redshirted, as expected. It’s way too early to predict if he has the chops to one day replace Brees. His progress will be worth watching in Year 2.
CB P.J. Williams (Round 3, Pick 78): Williams was another virtual redshirt, spending his rookie year on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. He went through some of his own growing pains in training camp, partly due to injury. But he has the talent and measurables (6-foot, 196 pounds) to become a nice asset going forward.
OLB Davis Tull (Round 5, Pick 148): Yet another injury redshirt because of a training camp shoulder injury, Tull has potential as a dynamic pass-rush specialist.
DT Tyeler Davison (Round 5, Pick 154): Davison played almost exactly 50 percent of the Saints’ snaps as a rotational lineman, with five starts in 16 games played. The 6-foot-2, 309-pounder has a nice combination of size and athleticism and had the versatility to fill in at nose tackle when needed. He finished with 18 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
CB Damian Swann (Round 5, Pick 167): Swann was one of the Saints’ most promising rookies, beginning the year as their nickel corner. But he wound up playing only seven games because he suffered three concussions. Obviously that's a significant concern. Otherwise his future appears bright.
RB/KR Marcus Murphy (Round 7, Pick 230): Murphy won the Saints’ starting kickoff and punt returner jobs, and returned a punt 74 yards for a touchdown at Carolina in Week 3. His season ended early because of an ankle injury, but he should be the front-runner to remain in those roles.
Undrafted rookies: The Saints kept three of their own (DE Bobby Richardson, DE Tavaris Barnes and DT Kaleb Eulls ) and added one from Seattle (DE Obum Gwacham). Richardson in particular showed promise, starting 11 games after supplanting veteran Akiem Hicks early in the year.