The New Orleans Saints head into the offseason with the most glaring need being in a crucial offensive position.
Getty
The New Orleans Saints head into the offseason with the most glaring need being in a crucial offensive position.
The New Orleans Saints were one of the most offensively-challenged teams this past season. An earlier piece looked into the numbers behind the club’s evident need for more scoring.
While there’s hope in Tyler Shough becoming the team’s next great QB, he can’t do it alone. He’ll need plenty of help. While another solid running back wouldn’t hurt, the Saints have a much more pressing need at wide receiver.
In a February 12 piece in The Athletic, Larry Holder focused on New Orleans’ glaring need for at least one more wide-out. The Saints have a good one in Chris Olave. But next season can’t be only about Shough and Olave.
Olave had a great season, racking up 1,163 receiving yards. Juwan Johnson came in second with 889, but the next best option was Rashid Shaheed at 499. However, the Saints jettisoned Shaheed to the Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks in November.
As for Johnson, he’s a good receiving option. But he’s a tight end. So, he can’t be relied upon to become a #2 receiving option for Shough and the Saints’ offense. That’s why another solid receiver is a must this offseason.
If the Saints can’t sign one, then the draft may be the next-best alternative.
New Orleans Could Find Enticing Options in 2026 NFL Draft
The Saints’ tough season has a silver lining. The club gets to pick eighth in the first round at the 2026 NFL Draft. That’s not a bad spot to be in.
The projection for the first round is a bit of a mixed bag. The presumptive first-overall pick is Fernando Mendoza out of Indiana. He’s a QB the Las Vegas Raiders might not want to pass on. That leaves Rueben Bain Jr., an EDGE, as the number two pick. Then, two wide-outs could be the next off the board.
Jordyn Tyson of Arizona State and Carnell Tate of Ohio State are projected as the top-two receivers. The rest of the field features numerous choices, with the third-best receiver, Makai Lemon of USC, coming in at number 18.
Now, it’s doubtful that one of Tyson or Tate could land on the Saints’ lap at number eight. Then again, stranger things have happened. If neither is available, the club could look at Jeremiyah Love out of Notre Dame, the top-ranked running back, as a go-to choice.
Love would be a fine choice. Tankathon projects Love as the Saints’ first-rounder. If that’s the case, the team could target wide-outs in later rounds.
Saints Could Find Their Receiver in Third Round
Tankathon’s mock draft sees New Orleans finding their wide receiver in the third round. That would be Ja’Kobi Lane of USC with the 73rd pick. Lane put up 49 catches for 745 yards and four TDs this season.
That’s not a bad option for the Saints. Assuming Olave will be the top guy next season, a rookie like Lane might not be such a bad option in the #2 slot.
According to CBS Sports’ prospect ranking, Lane is the eighth-best receiver in the draft. He projects at #60. So, the 6’4” 200-pound wide-out might be a reach at #73. Perhaps the Saints might not take any chances and use their second-round pick on a wide-out. That pick is no. 42 and could yield a couple of interesting choices.
It remains unclear what the Saints might do, as much of their draft strategy could depend on what they do in free agency.