New Orleans Saints, Drew Brees face Father Time in 2019

The New Orleans Saints need to win and win now. The same can be said for their quarterback, Drew Brees.

Drew Brees is 40 years old, and while his play hasn’t diminished one bit, the idea of time has to be accounted for. Drew Brees isn’t going to continue his MVP-caliber play for much longer, and so the Saints are on the clock. Without Brees, New Orleans is just another franchise watching the real contenders aim for the Lombardi Trophy.

Entering 2019, the New Orleans Saints have all the emotional ammunition they could ever ask for. In January’s NFC Championship Game, New Orleans was utterly robbed by a blown non-call on a Nickell Robey-Coleman pass interference play. The result would have sent the Saints to their second Super Bowl in franchise history. Instead, the Los Angeles Rams ended up defeating them in overtime.

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Now, the New Orleans Saints are back with a loaded roster once more. The defense isn’t full of powerhouse names, but every football fan should know who defensive end Cameron Jordan, cornerback Marshon Lattimore and defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins are. Offensively, the stars are all over the field. New Orleans has a fantastic line anchored by Andrew Peat, Ryan Ramcyzk and Terron Armstead, while Michael Thomas has an argument as the league’s top wide receiver. In the backfield, Brees is going to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer when his career ends, while running back Alvin Kamara is the ultimate duel threat.

For Brees especially, this season represents what could be a last stand. Even though his play remains top-notch, the falloff is always around the corner at this age. Peyton Manning was setting records in 2013. By 2015, he was fighting for playing time with Brock Osweiler. As the kids say, life comes at you fast.

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Brees has endured shoulder injuries in his career, and he’s slight of build. None of this suggests he’ll be finished by Week 3, but it does suggest that the Saints must throw all resources at winning now. General manager Mickey Loomis has always been willing to stretch the cap to its limits, and he should be doing so once more this season. If the right trade comes along to bolster the roster, don’t hesitate.

New Orleans has the roster to win it all. It has the coach. It has the quarterback. Now, after two of the most brutal playoff defeats a team could ever imagine, the Saints will once more charge at this grand challenge, hoping to win it all before time runs out.