NEW ORLEANS — Saints defensive end Cam Jordan said New Orleans is a head coach and a healthy season away from being championship contenders.
The Saints are the only team left with a head coaching vacancy after Dennis Allen was fired in November following a 23-22 loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 9, marking the team’s seventh straight loss after opening the season 2-0. Special team coach Darren Rizzi took over as interim coach in Week 10, but the depleted Saints limped to the finish line and missed the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season with a 5-12 record.
Although the Saints have experienced “terrible luck” with the injury bug, Jordan said New Orleans should be considered a prime landing spot for any future head coach with its current roster, although he doesn’t think his team receives the respect they deserve.
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Jordan said the main priority of the Saints new coach will be keeping players healthy and available throughout the entire season.
“Over the past three years our biggest problem has been health related issues on marquee players,” he said. “If you look at our roster when we started (the season)… we’re like, ‘Man, we can be special.’ By week three of four, we’re like, ‘Man, we need to find some more players.’”
Saints quarterback Derek Carr missed seven games with various injuries last season, including an oblique injury that sidelined him three games and a fractured hand and concussion that prematurely ended his season in Week 14. WR Rashid Shaheed missed 11 games due to injury. Center Erik McCoy missed 10 games. WR Chris Olave missed nine games. The injury list goes on.
“I always feel like my roster can always compete, when healthy,” Jordan said. “When healthy we beat the bricks off teams, as you saw the first two games. Then after that, it was almost comical. We need our center. We need our guard. We need our quarterback.”
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