7 Saints free agents who could leave to join Ryan Nielsen in Atlanta
 

John Sigler
January 27, 2023

https://saintswire.usatoday.com/wp-c...0&h=600&crop=1

The Atlanta Falcons are hiring longtime New Orleans Saints defensive line coach Ryan Nielsen as their new defensive coordinator, and it might open the door for an exodus of talent from the black and gold. Seven of Nielsen’s former players are pending free agents including starting defensive linemen Marcus Davenport and David Onyemata, as well as top backups like Tanoh Kpassagnon, Malcolm Roach, and Kentavius Street.

Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot previously worked as the director of pro personnel in New Orleans, but there has been little crossover between the two franchises early in his tenure. That might change now that Nielsen is getting promoted to a position where he can push for those changes. Here’s the full list of players who may follow Nielsen to Atlanta:

Full story :bng:

Re: 7 Saints free agents who could leave to join Ryan Nielsen in Atlanta
 

Saw that ... rumor is Davenport moves on to the Failclowns. We ain't paying MD $20 million a year.

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/AcrobaticF...restricted.gif

Re: 7 Saints free agents who could leave to join Ryan Nielsen in Atlanta
 

Yep.

Davenport is talented, yet injury prone. Not to mention disappeared in 2022.

Imagine what this DE bunch is going to look like once Cam Jordan retires :(.

Re: 7 Saints free agents who could leave to join Ryan Nielsen in Atlanta
 

It'll be looking like we'll need multiple high number ones to get respectable talent there . Now just where might we be able to get that, I just wonder?

OTHO, it could be argued that it'll be like a colon cleanse... I mean a cap cleanse. :)

Re: 7 Saints free agents who could leave to join Ryan Nielsen in Atlanta
 

It is looking less and less likely that Sean Payton will find the ideal situation for him this year. There goes our plethora of picks!:brood:

Re: 7 Saints free agents who could leave to join Ryan Nielsen in Atlanta
 

I don't believe a "plethora of picks" were ever a reality. Hopeful dreams by many fans. I'd say two or three were more likely, but still not out of the picture. Payton told his daughter on her show that he'd be deciding something one way or another by the end of the month. We'll see.

Re: 7 Saints free agents who could leave to join Ryan Nielsen in Atlanta
 

Boy, we're poised to go to the playoffs in 2030!!!

Re: 7 Saints free agents who could leave to join Ryan Nielsen in Atlanta
 

With Arch under center?!

Re: 7 Saints free agents who could leave to join Ryan Nielsen in Atlanta
 

If Dennis Allen is still the coach we should be able to get him easily, while drafting in the top three, if we haven't traded that draft pick away already . 2030 is looking better and better. Maybe we can get under the cap by then.

Re: 7 Saints free agents who could leave to join Ryan Nielsen in Atlanta
 

Personally, I'm planning on celebrating multiple Lombardi's in New Orleans before 2030.

:bng:

If things don't turn around next year Allen and the crew will be gone. If it does turn around then all of this negative gloom and doom has been nothing but a waste of time and energy. Either way, perceived problem solved.

Breathe easy, Rugs. You've been through far, far, far worse than 7-10 in your life, my friend.

Re: 7 Saints free agents who could leave to join Ryan Nielsen in Atlanta
 

Lol :p

Re: 7 Saints free agents who could leave to join Ryan Nielsen in Atlanta
 

It's time to reload at DT as well.

Re: 7 Saints free agents who could leave to join Ryan Nielsen in Atlanta
 

Yes I have my friend. But I didn't have to go through it watching Dennis Allen perform so poorly. I have no choice but to give him another year unlike the New Orleans Saints who had a choice to let him go this year.

Re: 7 Saints free agents who could leave to join Ryan Nielsen in Atlanta
 

Did you realize that none of the five teams that fired their coaches had a better record than the Saints this past season? In fact, there were six teams that had the same or worse record than the Saints that also retained their head coaches.

Re: 7 Saints free agents who could leave to join Ryan Nielsen in Atlanta
 

.

Re: 7 Saints free agents who could leave to join Ryan Nielsen in Atlanta
 

You make a good point. I would think that all the coaches that were fired probably have a better winning record for their coaching career though. I forget what Dennis Allen's record is but it is not worth remembering.

Re: 7 Saints free agents who could leave to join Ryan Nielsen in Atlanta
 

You might want to research that, Rugs.

Re: 7 Saints free agents who could leave to join Ryan Nielsen in Atlanta
 

Rugs don't have to research anything. He/We LIVED the research this whole season in real life, and apparently, will be part of the ongoing research next season and possibly beyond. Oh well...

Re: 7 Saints free agents who could leave to join Ryan Nielsen in Atlanta
 

You're spot on Rugby, it's not worth your time & it's terrible.

Look no further than the season's finale at home vs the Panthers. Losing a game in which the Saints went into the final quarter nearly doubling the other team in yards. Sam Darnold had 2.8 QBR rating & we LOST.

The perfect analogy for why Dennis Allen will NEVER be anything but an "almost" guy as Head Coach. No killer instinct at all.

And the Saints get to do this all over again next season :rolleyes:.

Re: 7 Saints free agents who could leave to join Ryan Nielsen in Atlanta
 

43 total passing yards. 2 interceptions. ZERO touchdowns. And they beat us IN OUR HOUSE. THAT'S how we closed out this pathetic season. Head Coach still ok? People talk about the days of paper bags... We need to talk about plastic bags right about now.

Re: 7 Saints free agents who could leave to join Ryan Nielsen in Atlanta
 

But on the other hand its important to put that record in context. The Saints did not achieve 7-10 with ease. They took the most resources of any team in the league to achieve their record. They were one of 5 times to trade fully out of the 2023 1st round to win now in 2022. They were one of the few teams with a losing record at the midway mark that did not trade away any veterans to get draft resources or cap relief for the future. And they went through the 2022 season the most over the 2023 cap of any team in the league. They did not bench any starters who might be better now to give opportunities to younger players who could be important in the future. The Saints did everything to win now, and they won 7 games in the weakest division in the NFL. The Falcons and Panthers unloaded expensive vets, cut salary cap, kept their 2023 1st round picks, and finished with the same record as the Saints. Most of the teams that finished with worse records than the Saints could have achieved 7-10 too if they thought 7-10 would get them into Canton. Mickey Loomis and Dennis Allen operated as if 7-10 was the ultimate prize and would get them there, leaving us in such a position that its hard to blame us for keeping our coach when nobody else may want the job right now.

Re: 7 Saints free agents who could leave to join Ryan Nielsen in Atlanta
 

With the right HC and OC we could be pretty good in 2 years, the D is concerning me, I would trade 3 star players right off the bat. Kamara, Jordan, and Davis. Jordan is getting long in the tooth, Kamara should not be a featured back, and it pains me to even consider Davis because he's really good but he could net us a good pick to build so I threw him in there. We need to get younger team wise. I resign Davenport to a team friendly contract, get rid of Peat and let MT find a new home. MT want get the money from another team like us. I hope this is Allens last season here, but it will be interesting if we go 1-7 by mid season, he might get the ax then.

Re: 7 Saints free agents who could leave to join Ryan Nielsen in Atlanta
 

All of this ^^^ and yet... how our front office could even bring us to having to have this conversation, is baffling.

Re: 7 Saints free agents who could leave to join Ryan Nielsen in Atlanta
 

What if we are at 7-1?

Re: 7 Saints free agents who could leave to join Ryan Nielsen in Atlanta
 

Rose colored glasses Guido. I don't blame you for dreaming but Allens a bad dream not a good one. We want be 7-1 mid season. I'm not looking for us to be better next season I see us as worse.

Re: 7 Saints free agents who could leave to join Ryan Nielsen in Atlanta
 

And what if we ARE 1-7? When DO the rose colored glasses come off? When does a dedicated fan feel compelled to demand better?

Re: 7 Saints free agents who could leave to join Ryan Nielsen in Atlanta
 

I simply can't see us being worse. No reason. If our offensive line stays even relatively healthy and we have a competent QB I would expect us to finish no worse than four or five games better. Until then, of course, 20-0!

Re: 7 Saints free agents who could leave to join Ryan Nielsen in Atlanta
 

I think the problem with this coaching staff is that they have no fire inside! Sean Payton is an alpha leader who motivates his team. Dennis Allen is the wet dish rag in the corner of the sink getting moldy.

Re: 7 Saints free agents who could leave to join Ryan Nielsen in Atlanta
 

It's hard to tell how the coaches are in the locker room without being in the locker room. They may be just as you think. Or their private demeaner could be entirely different than what we see on the sideline. Only the players and staff know for certain. I agree however that Allen is very lowkey on the sideline. That's always been his M.O.