The Dude

Before we have to rebuild. Our players are either in their prime or entering their prime and will slowly need to be replaced or upgraded. I say we have a 2-3 year window before our level of play drops off. I want to be contenders every year and Sean Payton said he cannot see himself coaching 5 years from now. Does the taste of us being a winning team ensure the front office will do what it can to keep us winning after Payton retires and Brees play drops off?

SmashMouth

As long as Brees and SP are there. Let us enjoy it while it lasts...

TopCow

I'm sure that this same conversation has been batted around in Boston and Indianapolis for any number of years. In Indianapolis there has been a coaching change, and only the season-ending injury to Peyton Manning has derailed their dominance. The same general trend holds true in New England.

Now, I am not certain that the Saints will remain a top franchise year after year. But the front office leadership that is in place right now promises that continued excellence is a very realistic possibility.

Rugby Saint II

We have the foundation to be a dynasty for a long long time. We should have 4-5 years with Brees as our leader. Sean Payton will hopefully have his backup in place and a well trained staff when he retires and we will continue rolling along. I love the FO and Rita Benson.(she's really running the show)imo

neugey

SaintsBro

I am not worried in the least about the window.

I know this may seem a bit blasphemous to some, but I think the "window of opportunity" is really more related to Payton and Loomis than to Brees. And now that Payton is starting to have a recognized, proven coaching tree of his own, it could extend even beyond that. Nobody really thought Steve Young was gonna follow Montana so well, or Rodgers after Favre. Why not here? I'm talking WAY DOWN THE ROAD, of course.

I could easily see a scenario with Brees playing at a very high level for many many more years to come, with all the advances in sports medicine, and his inner drive, I have a feeling that Brees is going to be a viable, scary good QB for longer than many people think. I could see him eventually becoming an almost legendary or iconic figure for the team, like John Elway was in his final Super Bowl year. I vividly remember that last Broncos Super Bowl year, everybody was marveling at how Denver "finally had a running game," how Elway was mainly handing the ball off, and then he would show just enough of the "magic" and dazzle in the passing game to get the job done.

I could easily see a 2017-18 version of Brees doing something exactlylike that, perhaps even with Ingram grown into the reliable veteran leader in the running game, and a whole new crop of fresh young undrafted free agents around Drew, playing exactly like the amazing team that we have now. It's not at all difficult to imagine, when you look at the pieces the Saints have and the system that's in place.

Beastmode

I read the exact opposite. There is a quote recently where he said the goal is to build a team that is a winner for 10-12 years. Who knows.

Danno

Our window shall remain open as long as we have an Owner committed to winning, a talented General Manager who oversees a solid scouting department, a talented Head Coach with a great working relationship with the GM.

The names may change, but the recipe for continued success does not.

FinSaint

With this Brees can keep the window open well into his 80s...

Speedy Ron

i would say 4-5 years. and maybe in 3 years we draft a high pick qb that can learn and take over like rogers did.