The 2021 season was an up-and-down campaign for the Saints in their first year of the post-Drew Brees era. After New Orleans started 5–2, quarterback Jameis Winston went down with a torn ACL and things spiraled out of control for five weeks. The team’s defense—along quarterback Taysom Hill—responded over the final five weeks as New Orleans went 4–1 and almost reached the playoffs had the 49ers loss in the final week.
After the season’s end, longtime coach Sean Payton retired and now Dennis Allen is preparing for his first draft as head coach after previously serving as the defensive coordinator.