New Orleans Saints: 5 burning questions in 2018

1. Does Drew Brees have enough support? 

Drew Brees is entering his 18th season in the NFL, 13th season with the New Orleans Saints. Since joining the Saints in 2006, Brees has thrown for 4,000+ yards each season.

Brees helped lead the Saints to a divisional title and a winning record for the first time since 2013. He completed a career-high 72 percent of his passes and single-digit interceptions for the firs time since 2004.

Bottom line is Brees is still one of the most prolific quarterbacks in the NFL, but does he have enough around him? The running back combination of Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram definitely makes Brees’ life easier. For the first time since 2009, the Saints were outside of the top-five in the NFL in pass attempts per game.

Brees’ ability to rely on the run-game has allowed the offense to be more creative and much less predictable. It also protects Brees, who is 39 years old, from getting knocked around as much as he did earlier in his career.

Furthermore, it opens up big-play opportunities for his top wide receiver, Michael Thomas. The former Ohio State receiver has caught 196 receptions, 2,382 yards and 14 touchdowns since being drafted in the second-round of the 2017 draft.

Along with Thomas, Brees has wideout Ted Ginn Jr. and Brandon Coleman as other options. The veteran receiver caught a career-high 76 percent of his targets and averaged a career high 52.5 yards per game. Although, his statistics may not be eye-catching like Thomas,’ he was extremely effective. Coleman’s statistics also weren’t overwhelming, but he played more snaps than Ginn Jr.

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Outside of Thomas, Ginn Jr. and Coleman there is some uncertainty surrounding the rest of the receivers. The Saints signed former Chicago Bears wideout Cameron Meredith, who missed all of last season with a knee injury. In 2016, Meredith caught 66 passes for 888 yards and four scores. They also drafted Tre’Quan Smith in the the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft.

One thing that Brees doesn’t have, is a playmaking tight end. However, the offense has changed tremendously since the departure of Jimmy Graham and it’s not as essential as it once was.

Overall, the Saints have done an excellent job of adding talent on both sides of the ball. Their recent success at the NFL Draft has helped prolong Brees’ career and has helped create a more balanced team.