SmashMouth

It’s the time of year for looking back and looking ahead.

With the Saints, there’s no need — or desire — to do the former. By any standard, 2014 has been a major disappointment.

So let’s get out the used crystal ball that Santa left us and make 15 infallible predictions for 2015:

1. The Saints will lose to Tampa Bay 23-17 on Sunday, giving them a 6-10 record, the worst of the Sean Payton era. That finish will leave them with the 10th pick in the draft and games against Minnesota (home) and San Francisco (away) in 2015. They’ll also have home games against Jacksonville, Tennessee, Dallas and the New York Giants and road games at Washington, Philadelphia, Houston and Indianapolis — plus home-and-home games with NFC South foes Carolina, Atlanta and Tampa Bay.

2. Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan will be retained. But secondary coach Wesley McGriff, defensive line coach Bill Johnson and offensive line coach Bret Ingalls will be fired. In a front-office shakeup, director of college scouting Rick Reiprish will be fired, and at least three scouts will be replaced. The team will bring back former secondary coach Dennis Allen.

3. Center Jonathan Goodwin will announce his retirement.

4. The team will decline to re-sign running back Mark Ingram, making him a free agent.

5. Marques Colston, the leading receiver in franchise history, and six-time Pro Bowler Jahri Evans will be released. Other veterans not retained include cornerback Patrick Robinson, tight end Benjamin Watson, wide receiver Robert Meachem, nose tackle Brodrick Bunkley, kicker Shayne Graham and linebacker David Hawthorne. Guard Ben Grubbs is brought back after a substantial salary reduction.

6. Quarterback Drew Brees will restructure his contact so the team can avoid taking a $26 million salary-cap hit.

7. Veteran free agents signed will include wide receiver Jeremy Maclin from Philadelphia and linebacker Pernell McPhee from Baltimore.

8. With the 10th pick in the first round, the Saints will select guard/tackle Brandon Scherff of Iowa. Cornerback Alex Carter of Stanford will be the second-round pick. The team will draft a quarterback in the fifth round or later.

read more at The Advocate

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