NEW ORLEANS — A day after the New Orleans Saints dreadful season ended, head coach Dennis Allen said, "I feel like I've got Mrs. B's (Gayle Benson) support."
The team finished 7-10 and missed the playoffs for the second straight season.
"7-10 is not where we want to be. But we're not as far off as some may think," Allen said.
Coming into the 2022-2023 season, what the offense would look like was a major question, with Sean Payton no longer calling plays and the unknown of who would start at quarterback.
Jameis Winston won the starting job in training camp and started the first three games of the season before getting injured. Andy Dalton would go on to start the final 14 games.
Allen was asked if he anticipates making a change at offensive coordinator. He said, "that evaluation hasn't taken place yet, but we'll look at that shortly and have a plan moving forward."
After another injury-riddled season, Michael Thomas may have played his last game in the Black and Gold.
"No decisions made on anything to this point," Allen said when asked about Thomas.
The Saints and Thomas agreed to reconstruct his contract on Friday.
The move cuts Thomas' 2023 base salary to just over $1 million while awarding him a more than $31 million roster bonus on March 17, three days after the new league year begins. He also earned a signing bonus of just over $900,000, which equates to a game check, to his 2022 salary.
Thomas is under contract through 2024, and the timing of when his roster bonus kicks in is significant.
Allowing the money to be distributed on March 17, three days after the new league year begins on March 14, potentially gives the Saints some leeway to decide on Thomas' future with the team.
Allen also said that rookie Trevor Penning suffered a Lisfranc injury to his right foot and will have surgery. This is not the same foot he injured in the preseason.
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