It was weird. Honestly, that is the only way to describe the vibe around the New Orleans Saints roster 2012 as they headed into training camp. You had this powerhouse team, a group only two years removed from a Super Bowl ring and coming off a 13-3 season, suddenly looking like a ship without a captain. Actually, it was a ship without a captain, a general manager, or its primary defensive architect.
Bountygate happened.
Whether you think the league’s investigation was a legitimate pursuit of player safety or a witch hunt designed to make an example of a small-market juggernaut, the fallout was undeniable. Sean Payton was gone for the year. Mickey Loomis was sidelined. Joe Vitt, the interim-interim coach, was also suspended for the first six games. In their place sat Aaron Kromer, an offensive line coach trying to steer a roster that was still, on paper, one of the most talented in the NFL. But as we saw throughout that chaotic 2012 campaign, paper doesn't account for a defense that couldn't stop a nosebleed or the psychological toll of a franchise under siege.
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Who Was Actually on the New Orleans Saints Roster 2012?
The offense remained the crown jewel. Drew Brees was in his absolute prime, and he spent the 2012 season proving that even without his head coach in his ear, he could facilitate an elite passing game. He threw for 5,177 yards. Think about that for a second. In an era before every single quarterback was putting up 5,000-yard seasons, Brees was doing it while the world around him was on fire.
He had weapons, too. Marques Colston was still doing Marques Colston things—quietly racking up 1,154 yards and 10 touchdowns. Lance Moore was the shifty technician in the slot. And then there was Jimmy Graham. This was "Peak Jimmy." He was essentially a cheat code in the red zone, a former basketball player who bullied safeties and outran linebackers.
The backfield was a crowded house. You had Pierre Thomas, the screen-pass maestro who never seemed to lose yards. Darren Sproles was the lightning bolt, catching 75 passes out of the backfield. Mark Ingram, then just a second-year player, was still trying to find his footing in a system that didn't always favor his downhill running style. It was a diverse group, but they often got abandoned because the Saints were constantly playing from behind.
The Defensive Meltdown
If the offense was a Ferrari, the defense was a rusted-out van with no brakes. This is where the 2012 New Orleans Saints roster really struggled. Steve Spagnuolo was brought in as the defensive coordinator to replace Gregg Williams, and to put it bluntly, it was a disaster. His 4-3 scheme just didn't mesh with the personnel he inherited.
They set a record. Not the good kind.
The 2012 Saints defense allowed 7,042 yards. That was an NFL record at the time for the most yards surrendered in a single season. They couldn't stop the run, and they certainly couldn't stop the pass. Roman Harper and Malcolm Jenkins were the safeties, and while both had great careers, they were often left on an island in a system that left them vulnerable to big plays. Jabari Greer and Patrick Robinson were the primary corners, and they spent most of the year chasing receivers' jerseys.
The Offensive Line and the Unsung Heroes
People forget how good that offensive line was, even in a losing season. Jahri Evans was an All-Pro. Ben Grubbs had come over from Baltimore to replace Carl Nicks, and while Nicks was a gargantuan loss, Grubbs played well. Brian de la Puente held down the center spot, and Zach Strief and Jermon Bushrod were the bookends.
They protected Brees.
Despite the lack of a run game at times, Brees was only sacked 26 times all year. That’s incredible considering he dropped back to pass over 670 times. The line gave him the pocket he needed to keep the Saints in games that the defense was actively trying to lose.
Why the Records Don't Tell the Whole Story
Look at the 7-9 finish. On the surface, it looks like a mediocre team that missed the playoffs. But if you dig into the 2012 New Orleans Saints roster performance, you see a team that started 0-4. They were reeling. Then, they clawed back. They beat the undefeated Atlanta Falcons in Week 10, a game that felt like a Super Bowl in the Superdome. It showed the grit of the veterans like Will Smith and Jonathan Vilma, who were both fighting their own legal battles with the NFL at the time.
Vilma’s presence was massive. Even with the suspensions looming and the knee injuries stacking up, he was the brain of that defense. But one man couldn't fix a scheme that was fundamentally broken for the players involved. Sedrick Ellis and Brodrick Bunkley were supposed to anchor the middle, but they were consistently washed out in the run game.
The Special Teams Factor
Thomas Morstead was arguably the best punter in the league that year. He made the Pro Bowl and was a First-Team All-Pro. When your defense is giving up historic yardage, you need a guy who can flip the field, and Morstead was a weapon. Garrett Hartley was the kicker, and while he was inconsistent at times, he was still the guy who had made the kicks to get them to the Super Bowl years prior.
Then you had the return game. Darren Sproles was a nightmare for opposing special teams coordinators. Every time he touched the ball, there was a legitimate chance he was going to the house. He finished the season with over 1,800 all-purpose yards. He was the ultimate Swiss Army knife.
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Key Stats from the 2012 Campaign
- Total Offense: 1st in the NFL (410.9 yards per game)
- Total Defense: 32nd in the NFL (440.1 yards allowed per game)
- Drew Brees: 5,177 yards, 43 TDs, 19 INTs
- Marques Colston: 83 receptions, 1,154 yards
- Jimmy Graham: 85 receptions, 982 yards
- Curtis Lofton: 123 tackles (The bright spot in the linebacker corps)
It was a statistical anomaly. To have the league's best offense and the league's worst defense on the same roster is almost impossible to achieve. It led to some of the most entertaining, high-scoring, and frustrating football games in New Orleans history.
What Most People Get Wrong About 2012
Many fans look back and blame the Bountygate suspensions entirely. While losing Sean Payton was the "head of the snake," the real issue was the transition to Spagnuolo's defense. The Saints had been a "bend-but-don't-break," turnover-heavy unit under Gregg Williams. Spagnuolo tried to implement a complex read-and-react system that the players simply didn't buy into or understand.
By the time they started to click, the season was over.
Also, the 2012 draft was a total bust. Let’s be real. The Saints didn't have a first or second-round pick because of the Bountygate penalties. Their first pick was Akiem Hicks in the third round. While Hicks eventually became a monster in the NFL, he was raw in 2012. The rest of that draft class—Nick Toon, Corey White, Andrew Tiller—offered almost zero immediate impact. When you have a roster that is aging in key spots, you need young legs. The Saints didn't get them.
The Veterans Who Held It Together
You have to give credit to guys like Roman Harper and Lance Moore. These were the locker room glue guys. In a year where the media was constantly hovering, waiting for the team to implode, these guys kept the ship upright. They finished 7-9, which is a miracle considering the 0-4 start and the lack of a head coach.
The 2012 New Orleans Saints roster was a group of mercenaries and legends. You had Cameron Jordan in just his second year, showing flashes of the Hall of Fame talent he would become. He had 8 sacks that year. Junior Galette was also starting to emerge as a pass-rush threat. If the interior of the line had held up better, the edge rushers might have had a more productive year.
Lessons Learned from the 2012 Chaos
Looking back, the 2012 season was a massive wake-up call for the organization. It proved that Drew Brees could carry almost any roster to a competitive level, but it also highlighted the danger of neglecting defensive identity.
- System Matters: You can't just plug a "good" coordinator into a roster that doesn't fit his style. Spagnuolo was a great coach elsewhere, but in New Orleans, it was a square peg in a round hole.
- Depth is Vital: When the NFL took away draft picks, the Saints' lack of depth was exposed the moment injuries hit the linebacker and secondary groups.
- Coaching is the Margin: The Saints lost several games by one possession in 2012. Would Sean Payton have made the difference in two or three of those? Almost certainly. His game management and ability to keep the offense's foot on the gas were sorely missed.
If you are researching this specific roster for a deep dive or a fantasy retro league, focus on the sheer disparity between the units. It’s a case study in how a legendary quarterback can mask systemic failures, and how a lack of leadership at the very top (due to suspensions) creates a vacuum that even Pro Bowlers can't fill.
To really understand the Saints of this era, you have to watch the Week 10 win over the Falcons. It captures everything about that 2012 squad: the offensive brilliance, the defensive struggles, and the "us against the world" mentality that defined New Orleans sports in the early 2010s.
Next Steps for Your Research:
- Review the game logs for the first four weeks of 2012 to see how the lack of Sean Payton impacted late-game play-calling.
- Compare the 2012 defensive stats to the 2013 "rebound" season under Rob Ryan to see how a change in scheme immediately impacted the same group of players.
- Analyze the 2012 draft picks' career trajectories to understand why the Saints struggled with roster depth for several years following the Bountygate penalties.