Saints DE Cam Jordan demands wins in 2025. See how new coach Kellen Moore is changing the culture at training camp after a disappointing 2024 season.
StatPro NFL Beat Reporter
Forget the stats. Forget the individual accolades. For Cameron Jordan, entering his 15th NFL season, the 2025 campaign boils down to one simple, non-negotiable metric: wins. His stark message on Friday morning set the tone for Day 3 of Saints training camp, a clear declaration that the time for excuses is over after a miserable 2024. Under the watchful eye of new head coach Kellen Moore, a new standard is being set in Metairie, one built on accountability and tangible results.
'At this point what I'm looking for is the effects.' - Cameron Jordan
The shift in atmosphere is palpable. Players up and down the roster, from receiver Rashid Shaheed to safety Justin Reid, pointed to the competitive environment Kellen Moore is fostering. Shaheed spoke of his evolving role and a renewed focus on route precision, while Reid emphasized the critical need for communication in the secondary as they adapt to new defensive schemes. The official team podcast echoed this sentiment, highlighting the 'positive energy' Moore has injected, a welcome change for a team desperate to turn the page.
Nowhere is Moore's influence felt more than in the quarterback room. The coaching staff put Jake Haener and rookie Tyler Shough through the wringer on Friday with high-pressure situational drills. The focus was on quick decisions and protecting the football, two areas that plagued the team last season. Early reports are encouraging, with Haener showing better pocket presence and Shough flashing the big arm that made him a second-round pick, though he's still working on timing with his new receivers. The battle for the backup spot is officially heating up.
While the veterans are setting the tone, the rookies are making their presence known. First-round tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. is already taking reps with the first-team offensive line, earning praise for his advanced footwork. But the biggest surprise might be fourth-round linebacker Danny Stutsman, whose range and aggressive tackling have already earned him snaps with the second unit. With third-round DT Vernon Broughton also flashing pass-rush potential, the 2025 draft class is showing early signs of being a foundational piece of the rebuild.
The internal optimism contrasts sharply with outside expectations. Sportsbooks have pegged the Saints' win total at a meager 6.5, with heavy odds (-250) that they'll finish under that number. In the NFC South pecking order, oddsmakers place them last, behind the Bucs (9.5 wins), Falcons (7.5), and Panthers (6.5). While the team faces the league's third-easiest schedule on paper, they'll need to use this bulletin board material as fuel. For a veteran like Cam Jordan, that 6.5 number is less a prediction and more of a challenge.
Day 3 is in the books, but the narrative for the 2025 Saints is just beginning to be written. The coming weeks will be crucial. Can the young quarterbacks continue to develop under fire? Will the rookies maintain their momentum? Most importantly, can the team translate this new energy and veteran resolve into the 'effects' Cameron Jordan is demanding? The message from the locker room is clear: don't count them out just yet. The climb back to relevance starts now, one practice, one drill, one win at a time.
