Canal Street Chronicles
New Orleans sits at 4-7 after their bye week.
The New Orleans Saints are 4-7 after their bye week placing them third in the NFC South. After the Saints started the season hot going 2-0, they would drop seven in a row in one of the worst losing streaks in recent team history. While the season has been disappointing, promising showings from young players and important changes have kept the season alive.
Running back Alvin Kamara has grown into the leader of the locker room since the retirement of quarterback Drew Brees. Kamara, who has recently earned the captain role mid-way through the season, often speaks out holding players accountable and pointing out the flaws in the team. Along with his rise as a team leader, the five-time Pro Bowler has had an explosive season and is on track for the best rushing season of his career. Through 11 games Kamara has rushed for 782 yards and 6 touchdowns while averaging 4.3 yards a carry. The versatile back has also added 443 yards and a touchdown as a receiver.
Kamara avoided any controversy while working towards a contract that would keep him a Saint for the rest of his career and the veteran back only preached his love for the city throughout. While giving a running back a third contract is unpopular, Kamara has earned his extension at 29 years old and continues to be one of the team’s leaders.
The most pleasant surprise from the 2024 season was the positive development of tackle Trevor Penning. Penning was given the starting nod at left tackle during the 2023 season and struggled tremendously which ultimately led to his benching. The Saints remained committed to Penning, who was seen as a project player from the start, but he was being exploited by opposing defenses so often that the team couldn't justify starting him. Penning would be given the opportunity to start at right tackle in 2024 with rookie Taliese Fuaga getting the left tackle job. Penning’s struggles continued at the start of the season but were masked by Klint Kubiak’s gameplan. During the week three matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles, the Saints lost Pro Bowl center Erik McCoy due to injury and the offensive line started to get shifted around making it more difficult to hide Penning’s flaws. But for Penning, this was just his opportunity to prove himself. The third-year tackle has performed as one of the best run-blocking tackles in the league and has majorly improved his pass-blocking. Penning’s recent development may have saved him another year of starting as the Saints can look towards the draft for other needs.
The Saints have struggled to find depth in the receiver room in recent seasons and that flaw has shined during the 2024 season. New Orleans lost their two promising young wideouts Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed for the year and the rise of rookie Bub Means was cut...
