3 reasons why the Saints should make no moves ahead of the NFL Trade Deadline

Many fans and media have, but the New Orleans Saints (2-5) have not given up on the 2024 season despite five straight losses with the last three not even close.

The fact that they just extended the contract by two years of one of their best and most tradeable players in running back Alvin Kamara proves they still think they have a shot to make something of this season.

New Orleans plays at the 3-3 Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday and is a touchdown underdog. After that, the Saints will have a better shot at their first win since mid-September when they travel to 1-6 Carolina. A loss there for a 2-7 start would speed up the end of coach Dennis Allen's average-at-best tenure.

Why make trades now when it may already be over?

The Saints are going nowhere fast. They have been decimated by key injuries to starters, such as center Erik McCoy, right guard Cesar Ruiz, running back/tight end/Wildcat quarterback Taysom Hill, wide receiver Chris Olave and quarterback Derek Carr. Ruiz, Hill and Olave could be back for Sunday, and Carr may be back in time for Carolina. But wide receiver Rahid Shaheed is out of the year. So is cornerback Paulson Adebo.

The Saints looked out of it in 51-27 and 33-10 losses to Tampa Bay and Denver over their last two games. This season looks more like it is going nowhere than anywhere decent with Allen's weeks numbered. So why trade running back Alvin Kamara or defensive end Cam Jordan or cornerback Marshon Lattimore or middle linebacker Demario Davis (or combinations of the above) now for a top offensive lineman, a better quarterback, or a better linebacker? What difference will it make?

And it's not like the Saints are one player away. They're about a half dozen away at least. So no player swap will do anything significant in the win column.

Saints' trade-bait options for draft picks are getting too old

Many of the attractive players the Saints would consider trading for draft choices or better players are getting too old to warrant something very good in return.

Alvin Kamara is 29, which is ancient for a running back, particularly a smallish and versatile one like him because of the wear and tear from double-duty running and receiving. Defensive end Cam Jordan is 35 and already being eased into retirement by the Saints with a more limited role this season. Middle linebacker Demario Davis is also 35, and like Jordan, his best seasons have most likely already happened. Cornerback Marshon Lattimore is just 28, but he has not played as well in recent seasons.

It's all about value, and the Saints' roster at the moment looks like something out of a Dirt Cheap outlet.

Let the new coach and front office hires make the roster decisions

Saints general manager Mickey Loomis and owner Gayle Benson, like her late husband Tom Benson, are conservative in approach in most of their endeavors. That's how they ended up in the predicament they're in now because they went with the tired next-man-up approach and promoted defensive coordinator Dennis Allen to head coach when Sean Payton "retired." Allen had been through the best of times with Payton, but Payton saw the franchise declining and was ready to go. Loomis and Benson did not see that. Now, finally, they do, and probably see that Allen is best as a coordinator.

Barring a miracle, Allen will not return as the Saints' coach in 2025. Loomis, 68, needs to retire. He has been GM since 2002. Does he have tenure? Even if Benson thinks he has done a good job, which he did in the past, it is time she realizes that is time for him to step aside and give someone else a try. Without Sean Payton as his head coach, Loomis is 46-59 with no playoffs.

So, with a new coach and assistants coming and possibly a new GM and other key front-office personnel — if Benson is smart — then the Saints need to let the new group make the roster decisions. Whoever the new coach and possibly new GM are, don't saddle them with even more baggage from an emotional, impulse in-season trade before the Nov. 5 deadline just to look like you're trying. The new regime will have enough problems returning this team to a contender. Let them decide what to do with the current Saints roster and whom they could get or what draft choices in return.