Dec 28, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis (56) celebrates a sack against the Tennessee Titans during the second half of the game at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Saints Biggest Offseason Priority After Missing Playoffs

Originally posted on New Orleans Saints on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Jan 6, 2026 4:33 PM ET

The New Orleans Saints played so well down the stretch that it's going to be hard not to watch this team week in and week out for the foreseeable future.

Saints fans will have to wait all the way until the fall to see the Black and Gold back in action. Fortunately, the offseason should be full of moves. But it's never the same. This Saints roster showed down the stretch that it has a lot of potential with a full season of Tyler Shough in 2026. Plus, the defense really turned it around. Opposing quarterbacks had no time with Cameron Jordan, Chase Young, Demario Davis, and Carl Granderson crashing after them and the secondary turned it up, despite injuries.

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There are surely holes to address, but the team needs to determine who from the current roster will be back in 2026. Specifically, that point holds true with longtime Saints veterans like Jordan, Davis, and Taysom Hill. ESPN insiders put out a column with tidbits and nuggets of information from each team that missed the playoffs. For New Orleans, the idea of Jordan, Davis, and Hill's future unsurprisingly was tabbed as the top priority to sort out.

The Saints have work to do this offseason

"What is their top offseason priority? Make decisions about veterans. Linebacker Demario Davis will be 37 in January, and defensive end Cameron Jordan will turn 37 next summer," They wrote. "Both have voiding contracts this year, but they have continued to play at a high level despite their age. The Saints will need to decide whether to bring them back, as well as 35-year-old Taysom Hill. If not, they could get younger at those positions."

From there, the next steps will be filling in behind them if any walk, adding more protection around Shough on the offensive line, and adding more weapons as well. The Saints could specifically use a wide receiver -- which very well could come early in the NFL Draft. Or even a running back if Alvin Kamara doesn't return. But that's how the offseason should go right off the bat. Figure out what's going on with the veterans, chart out a path to replace if need be, and add offensive weapons and linemen. Then, you'll be all set.

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This article first appeared on New Orleans Saints on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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