Saints’ future depends on making hard decisions

There are very few things in sports that I get passionate about in this day and age when it comes to rooting interests.
Sadly, much of that is because of what I do for a living. When you watch sports and have to create paid content, the fan part of you somewhat dies in favor of fully understanding what's happening on-field.
It's sad but it's true. the story takes precedent over the moment in most cases.
There is one exception to that personal rule, though. I will not budge when it comes to the New Orleans Saints.
That's my ride-or-die, thick-and-thin team. It's what I grew up on and where my fondest sporting memories are rooted.
Jim Henderson's famous NFC Chamionship game that put the franchise into the Super Bowl especially sticks out for me.
So, it's through understanding that about me that we take the next step in understanding this …
The New Orleans Saints are in dire need of a complete reboot of the organization and Tuesday's firing of offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael and a pair of offensive assistants was, quite simply, nothing more than a superficial move.
There are deep-seeded leadership issues within this organization and the perceived offensive issues this team struggled through in the 2023 season were only symptoms of a much bigger issue within the halls of the team facilities.
First, I'll start by saying that I was in no way an advocate of Carmichael holding on to the job he's held on to for the past 15 seasons. That said, it's hard to find a more loyal servant to the team than Carmichael, whose tenure lasted the entirety of the Sean Payton Era and 18 years in total.
But, that aforementioned loyalty is exactly what is dooming the franchise in its current state from moving forward.
I've got no question as to whether Carmichael needed to be fired, that was obvious. But, with the franchise in a state of staleness with no immediate path out of the mess that's been made there's only one clear answer.
Owner Gail Benson, loyal to a fault to people she trusts, must make the hard decision of firing top personnel in the New Orleans Saints front office and coaching before this franchise can truly move forward.
I'll make it simple … general manager Mickey Loomis and Dennis Allen gotta go.
In my opinion the organizational issues are with the systems in place and Loomis has been, for far too long, loyal to both certain ideologies and players.
By ideologies, I simply mean the team's obsession with restructuring contracts and running back similar teams with minimal changes the following season.
It worked for a long time and it brought the Saints success it had previously never seen. But, the rising NFL salary cap makes the gymnastics they've become more famous for more difficult with each passing year.
It doesn't have to be that way. As an example, the Los Angeles Rams won a Super Bowl a couple years back with megastars and mega contracts. A means to an end.
When the idea lost solvency, the Los Angeles front office made the hard choice to eat a year of losing, get its cap flexibility back and rebuild.
The problem with that idea was, the Rams have drafted too well in late rounds to actually lose for a season. This season was supposed to be their rebuild year, and the result was a winning season and a playoff berth behind new stars such as Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams.
Those two players, by the way, were fifth and sixth round draft selections.
Now, the 2024 Rams enter the offseason with their cap dignity in-tact and young stars to build around.
So long as Loomis is around, that'll never be the case in New Orleans.
Loyalty will cause the restructure bonanza to continue, for Allen to keep his job. For the franchise to blame the “mutiny” that happened in Week 18 to be blamed on players, not coaches, and as a result for the Saints to let go of very important player leadership in that locker room.
As a result, it's my prediction that next season will see the Saints in a losing position where Allen will eventually be fired and changes will be made.
But perhaps, not the most important one.
It's easy to “run it back.” What's hard is being willing to take the scrutiny of doing the right thing for the sake of your team's future and sacrificing a year of pride for a year of foundation setting.
Mickey Loomis has never taken the road less traveled. As a result, this franchise has suffered.
Don't shoot the messenger.