The 2023 season is going to bring a lot of change to New Orleans.
Derek Carr has exchanged his silver and black duds for black and gold as he looks to solve the Saints' ongoing post-Drew Brees quarterback problem. Chris Olave and Michael Thomas are going to attempt to stay healthy. And the question of a possible Alvin Kamara suspension continues to hang over their heads.
Even with all of that, they're playing in a division that seems wide open heading into this year. The Panthers, Falcons, and Buccaneers all have critical flaws in their roster, much like the Saints do, and that means this year is not a wash by any means in the Big Easy with New Orleans trying to get back to the postseason.
Defensively, the Saints still appear sound. Heartbeat Demario Davis is back at linebacker and Cameron Jordan is joined by Bryan Bresee, the Saints' latest drafted defensive lineman.
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Here's a look at the Saints' schedule this year, with who they'll have to get through to get back atop the NFC South.
New Orleans Saints schedule 2023
| Week | Date | Opponent | Kickoff time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sep. 10 | vs. Titans | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| 2 | Sep. 18 | at Panthers | 7:15 p.m. | ESPN |
| 3 | Sep. 24 | at Packers | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| 4 | Oct. 1 | vs. Buccaneers | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| 5 | Oct. 8 | at Patriots | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| 6 | Oct. 15 | at Texans | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| 7 | Oct. 19 | vs. Jaguars | 8:15 p.m. | Amazon Prime Video |
| 8 | Oct. 29 | at Colts | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| 9 | Nov. 5 | vs. Bears | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| 10 | Nov. 12 | at Vikings | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| 11 | BYE | |||
| 12 | Nov. 26 | at Falcons | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| 13 | Dec. 3 | vs. Lions | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| 14 | Dec. 10 | vs. Panthers | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| 15 | Dec. 17 | vs. Giants | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| 16 | Dec. 21 | at Rams | 8:15 p.m. | Amazon Prime Video |
| 17 | Dec. 31 | at Buccaneers | 1 p.m. | Fox |
| 18 | TBD | vs. Falcons | TBD | TBD |
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Saints strength of schedule
With the AFC South and the the NFC North this year, the Saints' schedule is doing them quite a few favors. In addition to playing in the NFC South, the Saints are playing just four teams who finished above .500 last year, and the Vikings are the only team better than 9-7-1. In other words, the Saints are well-positioned this year.
The Saints, in fact, have the easiest schedule in the league this year, per Sharp Football.
Toughest tests: Tough tests are on a sliding scale with this schedule, but road games against the Vikings and Packers stand out. That, plus games against the Lions and Jaguars -- two teams on the rise -- look like the biggest challenges for New Orleans heading into this season.
Biggest breaks: Rather than just saying "all of it," the biggest break the Saints have is playing in an NFC South that is basically simultaneously rebuilding. Bryce Young is ushering in a new era in Carolina, the Falcons are digging for what their identity is going to be moving forward, and the Buccaneers are figuring out who they are in the post-Tom Brady era. The winner of the South was 8-9 last year. We may see a similar race to the bottom this season.
Bottom line: Realistically, the Saints aren't going to top a lot of lists as Super Bowl contenders go, but there's reason to be optimistic. Carr brings some stability to the quarterback position, and the defense is still a stalwart.
If the Saints can actually get a full season out of the likes of Thomas, they could start to make waves in the NFC with their schedule. However, it isn't an easy path to get there, even with an easy schedule.
Record prediction: 10-7