For many, the New Orleans Saints are currently the weakest team in the NFC and one of the favorites to land the No. 1 pick in next year’s draft. The biggest issue is the quarterback position, which has lacked talent since Drew Brees’ departure and Derek Carr’s sudden retirement.
But for Brees, a franchise legend, the situation looks different. He views the Saints’ outlook for the 2025 season in another light and doesn’t seem nearly as concerned about the competition within the NFC South.
What Drew Brees Thinks of the NFC South and the Saints’ Chances
Since Brees’ retirement, reality hasn’t been kind to the Saints. The franchise has been stuck in salary-cap chaos, a situation that may take another year or two to stabilize as they continue to pay for the all-in moves made during the final years of Brees’ career in hopes of another Super Bowl run.
Over the last four seasons, the division has been dominated by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Even in 2020, when the Saints last won the NFC South, Tampa ultimately won the Super Bowl despite not taking the division crown. Now, the Atlanta Falcons appear to have found a way to share the spotlight with Tampa, leaving New Orleans further behind.
Brees, however, argues that the division is wide open and that no team poses an overwhelming threat. If the Saints’ main uncertainty is at quarterback, he points out that Carolina and Atlanta are dealing with similar situations, which means New Orleans has a legitimate shot at winning the South, especially with its defense.
ALONTAEEEEEEEEE YOU DAWG
CBS pic.twitter.com/1KsWYhq8GZ
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) September 7, 2025
Asked in an interview with RG about the Saints’ chances and what their objective should be, Brees said, “Win the division.”
“Why not? Who scares you in the division right now? Atlanta really should have beat Tampa. They missed a field goal at the end that would have tied it and sent it to overtime. … Everybody’s got just as equal an opportunity as everybody else,” he added.
Although he sees the Buccaneers as a more established team, Brees doesn’t believe that gives them a significant advantage over the Saints. He referenced the heated offseason quarterback battle between Tyler Shough and Spencer Rattler, noting that Rattler ultimately won the job and Kellen Moore’s trust in the process.
AK finds the endzone. One smooth dude.
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— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) September 7, 2025
“The Saints have one of the best offensive lines in all of football. We have one of the most dynamic backs in Kamara. They got one of the most dynamic receivers. Defensively, their depth up front, and then a bunch of young defensive backs. They’ve got a talented coach and play caller in Kellen Moore.”
Brees concluded by saying that the quarterback uncertainty isn’t as alarming as some make it out to be. He likes both Rattler and Shough but acknowledges they need experience to develop into reliable players, something that requires patience and won’t produce immediate results.
Moore knew that before he even accepted the head coaching job. Nobody expected Carr’s sudden retirement, but once it happened, the only option was to embrace the growth phase that any of the quarterbacks would have to go through.
In his season debut, Rattler went 27-of-46 for 214 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. The performance wasn’t enough to secure a win, but only the Buccaneers managed a victory in the division. Now, facing a heavily depleted San Francisco 49ers team, the Saints have a chance to bounce back quickly in Week 2.
