At first glance, the New Orleans Saints look impressive with their 4-2 record and top-tier scoring offense. They’ve won games and taken names all around the NFL without Michael Thomas, their best player (and he might be sidelined another week after sustaining a hamstring strain in practice).
But they have several flaws, both in the team’s current construction and in a longer view. They can get better, and the NFL’s Nov. 3 trade deadline — which could be accelerated as teams race to get deals completed sooner, due to the limits of COVID-19 testing protocol — offers solutions.