Ranking Saints’ 15 offseason departures, from least to most significant
The New Orleans Saints have lost a lot this offseason — both in players and members of the coaching staff. Sure, they’ve made plenty of additions, but a ton of continuity has walked out the door the last two years. At the same time, change isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
But this team still has holes to fill. Here’s our take on each of their offseason departures, ranked from least to most significant. The Saints have more work to do in building their roster so it can get where they want to go in 2023:
S Justin Evans, signed by Philadelphian Eagles
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
2022 snaps: 391
Evans was a solid backup for the Saints last year, but he struggled to guard the slot in a full-time role like the team hoped he could fill early in the season. They should get a similar impact from free agent safeties Lonnie Johnson Jr. and Johnathan Abram who both signed minimum-level deals.
DT Kentavius Street, signed by Philadelphian Eagles
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
2022 snaps: 518
Street was a more impactful player on passing downs for the Saints than Malcolm Roach last year, but he gave too much ground in run defense and the team didn’t make much of an effort to re-sign him. They can probably get similar production from other players in the interior rotation.
Cory Robinson, assistant defensive backs coach
AP Photo
With the team since: 2020
Robinson chose not to return after his contract expired with the Saints, but he has not been hired to a new gig around the NFL or at the college level yet. He ran their defensive backs room last offseason and was replaced by veteran coach Marcus Robertson.
Declan Doyle, assistant tight ends coach hired by Denver Broncos
AP Photo/Gerald Herbert
With the team since: 2019
Doyle left for a promotion on Sean Payton’s staff, where he’ll get the opportunity to coach his own position group after working as an assistant in New Orleans. He recently represented the Saints at the Senior Bowl.
WR Marquez Callaway, signed by Denver Broncos
Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
2022 snaps: 397
Callaway had a reduced role last season after the additions of Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, Jarvis Landry, and the return of Michael Thomas, and the Saints didn’t make an effort to re-sign him despite having multiple options given his restricted free agent status.
WR Deonte Harty, signed by Buffalo Bills
Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
2022 snaps: 24
An early-season turf toe injury took Harty out of commission, but we’ve seen him play at a very high level both in the return game and as a deep threat. He should do well in the Bills’ high-flying offense. The Saints should be just fine if Rashid Shaheed can handle a heavier workload; he brings the same juice and playmaking ability as Harty at a heavier weight class.
Zach Strief, assistant offensive line coach hired by Denver Broncos
David Grunfeld/The Advocate via AP
With the team since: 2021
Strief spent more than a decade in New Orleans as a player and radio analyst before making the jump to coaching, and he did well connecting his linemen as an assistant. Now he’s left for a promotion under his old head coach Sean Payton. The Saints replaced him by hiring former Rams position coach Kevin Carberry and Strief’s former All-Pro teammate Jahri Evans.
Dan Roushar, tight ends coach hired by Tulane Green Wave
AP Photo/Gerald Herbert
With the team since: 2013
Before he came to the Saints, Roushar was a widely-respected offensive line coach with experience working the tight end and running back groups in college at Michigan State and other stops, so it makes sense that Tulane acted quickly to keep him in New Orleans. He’s coaching the Green Wave offensive line this season.
Kris Richard, co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach
AP Photo/Tyler Kaufman
With the team since: 2021
Richard drew interest for a couple of defensive coordinator jobs early in this year’s hiring cycle but he hasn’t taken a new gig since parting ways with the Saints. It’s kind of odd that he’s still available given his extensive experience in New Orleans, Dallas, and Seattle.
DT Shy Tuttle, signed by Carolina Panthers
Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
2022 snaps: 557
Tuttle started a lot of games at nose tackle next to David Onyemata, and now he’ll be playing against the Saints twice a year in Carolina. Good for him earning his payday as a former undrafted free agent. He’s a solid run defender but goes through long stretches without much impact as a pass rusher, which has been an area of emphasis for the Saints this spring.
DE Marcus Davenport, signed by Minnesota Vikings
AP Photo/Derick Hingle
2022 snaps: 490
Davenport has been the team’s most dynamic pass rusher when healthy, but he’s rarely played at 100%, and he took a big step back last season — so badly that he was demoted to a backup role behind Carl Granderson by year’s end. The Saints have to get more productive at defensive end.
QB Andy Dalton, signed by Carolina Panthers
Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images
2022 snaps: 734
There aren’t any tears being shed over Dalton’s departure, but he’s a good backup and should be regarded as such. He’s done well mentoring younger quarterbacks and executing plays as they’re drawn up, and his receivers let him down at times last year by alligator-arming some big-time throws. He shouldn’t have started as many games as the Saints asked him to last year, but you could do a lot worse with your No. 2 quarterback.
Ryan Nielsen, co-defensive coordinator and DL coach hired by Atlanta Falcons
Jeff Haynes/AP Images for Panini
With the team since: 2017
Nielsen is another former Saints assistant who left town for a promotion, and he’ll get to call his own defense in Atlanta after receiving a couple of blank checks to rebuild the Falcons defensive front from scratch. He’s done well as a position coach but we’ll see how he performs in an expanded role.
LB Kaden Elliss, signed by Atlanta Falcons
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
2022 snaps: 632
Good on Elliss for making the most of his opportunity last year and earning a starter-level contract with, unfortunately, Atlanta. He’s going to be a problem rushing off the edge in Nielsen’s defense. The Saints took a hit at linebacker with his departure and they’ll need to add another player to the group to compensate for it.
DT David Onyemata, signed by Atlanta Falcons
AP Photo/Matt Rourke
2022 snaps: 682
Onyemata hasn’t been the same player since his 2021 PED suspension but he was still the Saints’ top interior lineman, and they’ll miss him. Nathan Shepherd and Khalen Saunders are fine free agent additions but they may struggle to match his production even combined together. The Saints must continue replenishing their depth chart at defensive tackle and it might require a high pick in the 2023 NFL draft.
