The Saints are sitting on the 19th pick in the current draft order after one week, even with their loss, and that’s where the early conversation starts to get interesting.
The board around them already looks a little wild. Arizona, after beating the Los Angeles Chargers, is projected to pick 32nd overall after Week 1, even though many expect the Cardinals to be one of the league’s worst teams. That kind of shake-up is exactly why these early draft snapshots are more noise than gospel, but it still gives New Orleans a rough starting point.
One name that fits the Saints’ needs is Alabama EDGE Yhonzae Pierre. He’s the kind of pass rusher who can make a team lean in early.
Pierre brings good strength, a high motor, and the ability to set the edge against the run. He also has backup plans when he doesn’t win right away against an offensive lineman, and he looks like a natural fit at OLB.
He is still coming along in run defense and can be moved around some, but there’s plenty of room for him to keep improving.
That matters for New Orleans because the Week 1 outside pass rush was thin. Chase Young was the only consistent EDGE for the Saints, and that’s not a recipe that can hold up for long. Cam Jordan’s return should help, but the starting spot opposite Young, currently held by Granderson, may need a change.
On the offensive side, LSU TE Trey’Dez Green is another player worth keeping on the radar, even if the fit looks awkward at first glance. The Saints already have Juwan Johnson, Noah Fant, and Oscar Delp under contract, so another tight end would raise eyebrows fast.
But Green offers something different. He’s a strong blocker, a true contested-catch target, and a tough tackle once he gets the ball in his hands.
Viewed strictly as a prospect, Green is easy to like. The roster question is what makes it complicated.
For New Orleans to seriously consider him, the defense would first need major investment before the draft. And if the Saints did take Green, they’d likely have to move on from either Johnson or Fant.
Even so, that possibility doesn’t feel impossible, especially if the team sees Green as a major weapon for Tyler Shough.
In Other News...
Falcons Suddenly Have A Week 1 QB Issue And A Bijan Dilemma
Tyler Shoughs first real introduction to the Saints came long before he ever took a snap, and the rookie quarterback said the draft process in New Orleans offered its own little test of how he handled the moment. He described a delayed flight and the kind of communication wrinkle that can make a long night feel even longer, while the Saints kept him in the loop as they worked through the selection process. It was the sort of behind-the-scenes detail that says plenty about how a team evaluates a quarterback before it ever gets to the film.
For New Orleans, that matters because Shough is still trying to establish himself in a room where every rep and every decision gets watched closely. The Saints have made a point of building a clear draft communication strategy, and Shoughs recollection shows how much of the evaluation can happen away from the field, in the way a player responds when plans change and the clock keeps moving. It is an early reminder that his path with the Saints is about more than just arm talent, and that the organization was looking for signs of leadership from the start. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Enter Week 2 With Tyler Shough Suddenly Under The Spotlight
The Saints left their opener with the kind of result that can sting and encourage at the same time, a narrow overtime loss to the Lions that still showed a team willing to fight through a long afternoon. Tyler Shoughs debut had its rough patches, but it also had real flashes, and the bigger takeaway for New Orleans was that the offense had enough juice to keep answering after a rocky start.
Shoughs 400-yard day has already pushed him into a brighter spotlight, especially with several media outlets nudging the Saints upward in their power rankings after seeing how competitive they were. The question now is less about whether New Orleans can be frisky and more about how quickly Shough can turn the good stretches into a more complete performance as the season moves into Week 2. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Showed Real Fight But Left Fans Debating One Costly Decision
All four NFC South teams took losses this week, a reminder that nobody in the division could gain ground while the Saints were busy putting together one of the more frustrating performances of the weekend. Tampa Bay never found much rhythm against Cincinnatis defense, Carolina lit up the scoreboard but couldnt stop Chicago, and Atlanta had to patch together its offense around Cooper Rush after its starting quarterbacks were unavailable.
For New Orleans, the disappointment came with a little more sting because the comeback was real and the finish was close. The Saints pushed the game into overtime, then watched it slip away after a failed two-point conversion left fans sorting through what felt like a bold call in the moment and a costly one afterward. When the whole division loses and your own game ends with that kind of debate, the result lingers a lot longer than a normal Sunday setback. [Read more 🡒]