NEW ORLEANS — After an injury-riddled 2021 campaign that culminated in the Saints barely missing the playoffs and the retirement of Sean Payton, first-year head coach Dennis Allen is heading into the 2022 season with a lot of questions to answer.
The NFL media seems to have varied opinions on the Saints in 2022, so let's run down how each major outlet forecasts the team's performance this season.
Bleacher Report: 17th
In their latest NFL power rankings released on Monday, Bleacher Report NFL writers ranked the Saints 17th, calling them one of the more 'interesting' teams this season.
While the offense struggled last year, the additions of Chris Olave, Jarvis Landry as well as the return of Michael Thomas could help Jameis Winston a lot in 2022.
Writers said the defense is an already strong unit, even with the turmoil at safety. However, the website pointed out that a lot of things have to go right, and NFL games aren't won on paper. Allen and the team will have a lot to prove.
ESPN: 20th
For ESPN's power rankings, each writer puts a player or coach on the hot seat for their team.
ESPN's Katherine Terrell was skeptical of the Saints in 2022, and put Winston on the aforementioned hot seat. Terrell said that Winston needs a 'healthy and productive' year to convince the Saints to keep him around after his contract expires.
CBS Sports: 9-8 Record, 8th in NFC
CBS Sports released season predictions earlier on Monday. They have the Saints finishing exactly where they did in 2021 - a 9-8 record and 8th seed in the NFC, barely missing the playoffs.
The Ringer: 18th
The Ringer's Austin Gayle said that the 'best-case' scenario for the Saints is for Winston to lead an improved offense with a revamped receiving corps. On defense, Gayle said that the hope for New Orleans is that things are business as usual and Allen continues to maximize that unit's talent.
As a result, Gayle ranked the Saints 18th out of 32 teams and put them in the category of 'in the playoff hunt'.
The Athletic: 9.4 O/U via statistical model
The Athletic ran a statistical model to determine a win total for every team heading into the 2022 season. The Saints were given an O/U of 9.4 wins.
NFL.com: 13th
In their most recent power rankings, NFL.com ranked the Saints 13th. They pointed towards the revitalized wideout corps as a reason for why Jameis Winston and the Saints could make waves in the NFC this season.
Peter King: (12-5)
In Peter King's 2022 season predictions, the longtime sports media figure boldly picked the Saints to finish with a 12-5 record and the first seed in the NFC, with the team making it as far as the NFC championship game. He also predicted that Olave would win offensive rookie of the year.
King reiterated that the Saints have gone 4-1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers since Tom Brady arrived. He said that the team may miss the imagination of Payton, but Allen is inheriting a great situation nonetheless, with a strengthened receiving corps and an elite defense.