How will the Saints finish the 2020 season? Our staff roundtable weighs in

If the Panthers are the likely basement dwellers and the Buccaneers are a borderline playoff team, per our staff roundtables, what does that make the Saints? Except for eternal optimist Matt Chambers (?), those writers who weighed in on New Orleans’ fortunes think they’re going to win double digit games and likely the division.

We’re not any happier about it than you are. If you have a compelling reason to disagree and cheer us all up, though, please do so in the comments!

0-16 and Sean Payton gets suspended again

One good thing has to happen in 2020. Make it be this. — Matt Chambers

11-5

I hate it, you hate it, but the Saints are going to be a good football team in 2020, at least until they lose in the most baffling fashion possible in the postseason. Drew Brees’ arm is held together with twine and a prayer, Michael Thomas prints out and reads mean tweets about him while crafting a greatsword grimly in his basement, the defense still has question marks and Sean Payton’s lifelong love affair with the idea of Taysom Hill as a franchise quarterback is going to bite this team hard at least once in 2020, but they’re still the best team in the division on paper, annoyingly.

The addition of Jameis Winston ensures they’ll stay afloat if Brees crumbles to dust, and they’re simply too talented to be lousy. Barring a total collapse—one I’m rooting hard for, obviously—they’ll likely be atop the NFC South for one more season. - Dave Choate

10-6

The Saints are still going to be a good football team in 2020, but some regression is coming for this unit. Drew Brees was already struggling to throw deep last season, and another year of age isn’t going to help things. Ditching one of the league’s best pass protecting guards in Larry Warford for an (admittedly good) rookie in Cesar Ruiz is also likely to be a downgrade. However, the biggest challenge for the Saints might be a fiercely competitive NFC South, with an improved Bucs team and a Falcons team that will always play them tough. 10-6 is probably still going to win the South, but it’ll be a more difficult year than New Orleans is accustomed to. — Kevin Knight

10-6

Honestly, my heart hurts to put a winning record up there. I really, really want to say 8-8 or 7-9, but this team has been winning pretty consistently the last few years. They’ve made some questionable moves (moving on from Larry Warford, letting Teddy Bridgewater go), but they still have Satan-incarnate as their head coach. The big question mark is whether Drew Brees still has enough to be effective for an entire season. A rapid decline from an aging QB would be a welcome sight. - David Walker