The New Orleans Saints have missed the playoffs in each of the last three seasons, but quarterback Drew Brees still thinks his team is close to getting back to the Super Bowl.
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The Saints have finished 7-9 in three consecutive seasons, and they've watched division rivals in Carolina and Atlanta reach the Super Bowl in back-to-back years. Brees told PFT Live he feels "very good" about where the Saints are entering 2017.
"I think that we're very close," Brees said. I'm excited about the offseason acquisitions we've made, we've got five picks in the first three rounds, five picks in the first [103] picks in this year's draft, so the ability to go out and acquire some young talent as well, some guys who can come in and make an instant impact."
The Saints traded receiver Brandin Cooks to the New England Patriots, but they acquired a second first-round draft pick this year. They also signed Ted Ginn to a deal in free agency to replace Cooks.
Most of the Saints' offseason moves have addressed issues on the defensive side of the ball. They re-signed defensive tackle Nick Fairley, and they also brought in linebackers Manti Te'o and A.J. Klein. The Saints were No. 27 in the league in total defense last season.
A Super Bowl run wouldn't be unprecedented for a team that didn't have a winning record a season ago. The Falcons finished 8-8 in 2015 before winning the NFC in 2016, and the Panthers went 7-8-1 the year before they went 15-1 and made the Super Bowl.
But if New Orleans is going to turn things around, they will need a great draft class in addition to stellar production from the 38-year-old Brees.
(h/t Pro Football Talk)
