Offensive Coordinator: Pete Carmichael
He has been in New Orleans since 2006, when he arrived with Payton. First as QB coach, then as passing game coordinator, and now as offensive coordinator. Saying that his philosophy is to pass as many times as possible is an understatement. However, it seems that the running game will gain more weight this year.
Offensive Star: Max Unger
It's not common to name a center as the offensive star of a team, but trading for Jimmy Graham and shifting towards the running game has been a game-changer. Unger is a crucial player this season.
Quarterbacks
Drew Brees is bigger in the New Orleans Saints than the team's logo, bigger than the Superdome itself. To do justice to Drew Brees, it is enough to talk about his numbers, the same numbers that this year will secure him a place in the historic list of touchdown passes alongside the legendary Dan Marino (3rd overall). Brees has been able to carry the whole team on his shoulders, but the less we have to rely on him, the better. It will be crucial to avoid Brees-dependency, as the years are starting to take a toll on him. The battle for the backup quarterback position looks interesting this summer, with Garrett Grayson, Luke McCown, and Ryan Griffin. My bet is on Grayson, a rookie who impressed me a lot during his time at Colorado State.
Offensive Line
It says a lot about the offensive line that their best player is a newcomer. The last two years have been the ones where quarterback Drew Brees has been sacked the most in his career. Max Unger came via trade from the Seattle Seahawks and is immediately the new anchor of the line. He brings a lot of experience, just like right guard Jahri Evans, an undisputed starter since 2006. The same debut year as his teammate on the right side, Zach Strief, with the difference that it took Strief until two years ago to secure a starting position on the line. On the left side, we have two young players, tackle Terron Armstead (3rd year) and guard Andrus Peat (rookie, 1st round). Armstead was a bit disappointing last year, his first as a starter, so we will have to analyze his performance closely. Peat is valuable both as a guard and as a tackle, so he will be a key piece if any of them get injured.
Running Backs
At first glance, the group of running backs for the New Orleans Saints seems very powerful, with Mark Ingram coming off his best year in the NFL and C.J. Spiller chosen to replace the absent Pierre Thomas. Ingram is the classic type of runner, while Spiller will continue in the role he had with the Buffalo Bills, as a runner in open field and in the passing game. Providing depth is Khiry Robinson, who started last year when Ingram was injured.
Wide Receivers
The Saints have lost their yardage leader, Kenny Stills (traded to the Miami Dolphins). Now, the group of receivers seems like a class in school. We have the teacher in Marques Colston, the receiver with all the historic records of the New Orleans Saints, who is completing a decade with the team this year. We have a repeater and a rebounding student, Josh Morgan, signed this year after 7 seasons with the Washington Redskins, San Francisco 49ers, and Chicago Bears. And joining them, a bunch of very inexperienced students: Brandin Cooks (1 season, 3 touchdowns), Joseph Morgan (2 seasons, 3 touchdowns), and Nick Toon (2 seasons, 1 touchdown). Brandin Cooks seems to have the most promising future, and I see him as the number 2 receiver. Fortunately for the Saints, Drew Brees has always made everyone around him better and has plenty of experience in handling all types of receiving groups.
Tight Ends
The big hole to fill in the tight end group is Jimmy Graham (traded to Seattle), which is saying a lot. It seems that Josh Hill is one of the big player projects for the Saints this year. And he is the one most likely to replace not only the position but also the style of Jimmy Graham. In 2014, we already saw him appear in goal-line plays and he managed to score 5 touchdowns. It will be interesting to see how he evolves. Benjamin Watson is a reliable veteran for blocking duties.