ESPN predicts Saints will have NFL’s best record in 2019

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The New Orleans Saints are still recovering from the way their season ended before they embark on a crucial offseason that will find them making the moves they believe are necessary to contend in the NFC once again next season for a spot in the Super Bowl.

In the coming months, the Saints will scout the league’s current crop of free agent players and potential talent coming from the collegiate ranks. But right now, we’re already getting a hint of what the experts think of their chances in 2019.

ESPN projects that the Saints will go 13-3 next season.

“Arguably the most complete team in the league on paper, the Saints saw Drew Brees fade badly over the final two months of the season,” Bill Barnwell notes in his analysis.

“The 40 year old Hall of Famer was playing like an MVP candidate and posting a league best Total QBR of 88.1 heading into the Cowboys game in Week 13. From that point forward, Brees posted a QBR of 55.3, placing him between Nick Mullens and Derek Carr.”

The key to improving Brees’ quarterback rating would seem to be locating for him a quality No. 2 receiver to target away from Michael Thomas.

The absence of that second option down the stretch compromised the Saints’ ability to move the ball as effectively in the air as they did earlier in the season.

New Orleans signed Dez Bryant to fill that role, but after his shocking ankle injury in his second practice with the team, they brought in Brandon Marshall, who they would release not long afterwards.

The running back position could be in some flux if their negotiations with pending free agent Mark Ingram do not go according to plan. Combined with Alvin Kamara, the Saints lead the NFL in rushing touchdowns over the past two seasons, and clearly New Orleans would prefer to keep their workhorse back in the rotation.

Another free agent decision the Saints organization will have to make is that of quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. The team signed him during the past season in a trade with the New York Jets, and general manager Mickey Loomis has hinted that they could field a trade offer for him, especially considering the Saints do not have a first round draft pick.

ESPN’s Football Power Index was steadily in favor of the Saints in all their games over the course of the regular season and playoffs, routinely favoring New Orleans in all of their matchups, especially down the stretch, and it’s expected they will again in 2019.

This projection would give the Saints the best record in the NFL, a distinction they enjoyed this season tied with the NFC champion Los Angeles Rams, and the No. 1 spot in the NFC South.