New Orleans Saints

Projected Cap Space: -$15.9 million

Draft Picks: 8

• 1st (No. 8)
• 2nd (No. 42)
• 3rd (No. 73)
• 4th (No. 132, SEA)
• 4th (No. 136, comp)
• 5th (No. 148)
• 5th (No. 170, SEA)
• 6th (No. 188)

Notable Free Agents: 

• LB Demario Davis
• CB Alontae Taylor
• DE Cameron Jordan
• C Luke Fortner
• OLB Chris Rumph
• OL Dillon Radunz
• TE Taysom Hill
• TE Foster Moreau
• DT Jonathan Bullard

Top Three Needs

1 – Offensive Skill

This is intentionally broad as a need category, because the Saints could go a variety of different ways here. The consistent thread, though, is a need for more playmakers on offense. Last year, Saints WR Chris Olave was healthy for 16 games and hit 100 catches, 1,163 yards and a career-best nine touchdowns. As the No. 1 option in the passing attack, he held up well. 

Around him, the Saints have question marks. No other receiver besides Olave stands out as anything besides an ancillary target. The Saints could stand to add multiple wide receivers to their room but that isn’t the only way they can get better on offense to support QB Tyler Shough. 

This offense used to run through RB Alvin Kamara but he was limited to 11 games with an injury and had the worst season of his career in multiple efficiency metrics. Set to turn 31 in July, it’s an open question whether he’s back next year. Backs like Kamara don’t grow on trees but the Saints could certainly use someone with a pass-catching element in their backfield. 

The No. 2 pass catcher was TE Juwan Johnson and he had over 100 targets, 77 catches, 889 yards and three scores. He is still under contract and should have a pretty big role but there’s room for the Saints to upgrade if the right player is available.

2 – Defensive Tackle

The Saints were respectable on defense last year and actually finished No. 9 in total defense, though they were lower in scoring defense at No. 16. Defensive coordinator Brandon Staley had a good debut season and there will be an effort to give him more to work with. The defensive line stands out in that regard.

Bryan Bresee is a good building block and the Saints will probably pick up his fifth-year option to keep him under contract the next two seasons. The rest of the room is a question mark, though. Jordan, the all-time franchise leader in sacks, is more of an edge player and is on an expiring contract. He wants to be back but it’s unclear if that will happen. 

Nathan Shepherd and Davon Godchaux round out the room but are closer to replacment level players that New Orleans could upgrade from. Both are potential cut candidates as well as the Saints polish up their books ahead of a 2027 season in which they should have plenty to spend for the first time in years. They used a third-round pick on Vernon Broughton but he missed most of the season with an injury. 

3 – Linebacker

Davis is another longtime Saints defensive stalwart who is on an expiring contract and his future in New Orleans is an open-ended question. The 37-year-old has been with the team for the last eight years and still plans to play another season. It’s not clear if the Saints see him as a fit as they continue what is probably another rebuilding year, though New Orleans is also on the upswing. This could be a natural point to turn the page. 

If he leaves, there will be a massive void in the middle for the Saints. Veteran LB Pete Werner and 2025 fourth-rounder Danny Stutsman are under contract, but Werner started losing snaps to some younger players last year and it seemed like the team wasn’t opposed to shedding his contract for the right trade offer. Jaylan Ford and Isaiah Stalbird are some other young, developmental types but this feels like a spot where the Saints need more firepower. 

One Big Question

What is Tyler Shough’s ceiling? 

Shough is a great example of how quickly things can change in the NFL. At this time last year, he was a 25-year-old prospect who went viral for the wrong reasons at the Combine and was written off by a lot of people. Not the Saints, however, and they used the 40th overall pick on him at the end of April. He lost a training camp battle with Spencer Rattler and rode the bench for eight games as New Orleans started 1-7. 

His first two appearances, the first mid-game in relief of Rattler and his first start the following week against the Rams, were rough. But from November on, Shough and the Saints picked up significant steam. New Orleans was 5-3 in the last eight games of the season, with Shough playing a crucial role. It was such an impressive run that he finished second in the voting for Offensive Rookie of the Year, ahead of Giants QB Jaxson Dart who played most of the season. 

As a result, spirits are high in New Orleans. There’s tons of optimism around the team and in the fanbase about Shough’s long-term outlook even though he turns 27 in September. What’s also super interesting for the Saints is that optimism isn’t necessarily paired with higher expectations for the team. The franchise was long overdue for a rebuild and GM Mickey Loomis was kind of forced into it when QB Derek Carr retired with his shoulder injury. There was an understanding that new HC Kellen Moore wouldn’t have a full deck to work with for multiple years. 

That remains true despite the strong finish last year. The 1-8 start to the year is a reminder the Saints’ roster still has significant holes, and there won’t be realistic playoff expectations for Moore this year even in a weak NFC South. As long as Shough takes a step forward, the Saints are competitive and the vibes in New Orleans stay strong, the team can win even if it loses.

It also gives them a window to evaluate Shough in a larger sample size. Despite the optimism, his total body of work was sneakily close to Rattler. He has three years left on his rookie contract and at the end of the day, he’s a former second-round pick who is almost 27. If he hits his ceiling sooner than the Saints expect, they will have options.