What Goals Should the New Orleans Saints Aim For In 2025?

New year, new Saints? Here's some goals New Orleans should shoot for in 2025.

Dec 1, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) runs in for a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams but it is called back for man downfield during the first half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

As the new year has prompted change by many, there's plenty of New Year's resolutions on the horizon. Hopefully, most are still keeping at them. The Saints should have a big list of resolutions in their offseason, and it's critical that they stick to them.

The future is very uncertain for the Saints, and they are at a crossroad trying to figure out where to go. With a new coach coming into the mix coupled with some big decisions on their hands, here's some goals they should try to shoot for in 2025.

Goals For The Saints In 2025

Dec 1, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis (56) looks on again the Los Angeles Rams during the second half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Embrace The Future

I've said this previously, but I believe the thought process for the Saints is that they just need to be good enough to compete in a bad division. I think that's a dangerous line of thinking. Look where that got you in 2024.

Whether the Saints have thought they're just one or two pieces off from pushing for a division crown, they've come up incredibly short of expectations for three years now. There's some understanding that can go into 2021 in Sean Payton's last year with no Drew Brees, but the subsequent seasons displayed so much inconsistency that they were really way off and fundamentally challenged.

A rebuild doesn't seem likely, but pushing the chips in to make a go at it when you're essentially not even in the same ballpark also seems unrealistic. The Saints need to find a very healthy balance here and embrace some reality here. The future can be bright, but only if they stop chasing a dream of recapturing past glory.

Work Back To the Salary Cap

We already know that the Saints are going to get under the cap. That happens every year. It already started with restructuring Ryan Ramczyk's contract, which puts him one step closer to retirement.

The thing is, New Orleans makes the yearly task that everyone says is impossible and deems 'cap hell' work. However, it hasn't led to a postseason appearance in now four years. so the criticism is actually valid. What good is it to get out of the cap situation, sign a couple of one-year players that are supposed to improve the team only to go 5-12?

It's going to be another tough year when it comes to the salary cap in terms of what they're going to have to do to get there. They also have dead money on the books from past contracts (Jameis Winston, Michael Thomas, Marshon Lattimore) and more is coming.

The Saints can't just strip this thing down to the bone, but I'd like to see them work to get into a better situation when it comes to the cap. Instead of being monumentally over the cap, maybe it's not as much like the $30-40 million range next offseason and then reducing that number each year until eventually they're in a positive territory going into the new league year.

It might be wishful thinking right now, but it could be possible to at least try to work their way back to being a bit more fiscally responsible with their cap situation.

Draft Wisely

The Saints could have as many as six picks in the Top 150 of the draft, and that's a great opportunity to start building for the future. Here's the thing. The picks have to echo that. The core philosophy of how the team drafts needs to be evaluated. The small school prospect who has an amazing RAS isn't the play again here.

I do think the draft class from last year was a major step in the right direction. The only player who didn't make the final roster was Josiah Ezirim, but they also took him in the 7th Round and had him on the practice squad all season. Arguably, they had one of their better drafts in recent years. Their second year growth will be big for the team.

I would also like to see the Saints invest heavily in their defense this time around, depending on how free agency plays out. New Orleans needs major help in the trenches and at the safety position, but they could also use a play maker. There's certain positions they could take with their top four picks in the first three rounds that would probably not be so popular, but they at least have an opportunity to draft wisely.

At the end of the day, there is light at the end of the tunnel for the Saints. However, they're going to be the ones who dictate how much light is there.

Be sure to keep up with the Saints this offseason with our Second And Saints podcast. Check out our YouTube channel and buckle up for an eventful few months as New Orleans will hire a new head coach and have many decisions on their hands.