The Saints are heading into camp with something they haven’t had in a while: real momentum.
New Orleans opens its first practice of the 2026 season this Wednesday in Metairie, and the mood around the team feels noticeably different after a strong finish to 2025 behind rookie quarterback Tyler Shough. The organization spent the offseason adding players who should matter right away, turning what looked like a rebuild into something that suddenly feels a lot more alive.
That doesn’t make the Saints a Super Bowl team. It does, though, give them a legitimate shot to end a playoff drought that has now stretched more than five years. The question now is simple: can they turn that buzz into wins?
A lot of that answer starts with Shough.
Second-year quarterback Tyler Shough is still the engine here, no matter how many new names New Orleans added around him. After taking over as the starter midway through last season, he put together a strong run: 2,256 yards, 10 touchdowns, 5 interceptions and a 95.8 rating in nine starts.
The numbers were solid, but the bigger story was how he changed the feel of the team. The Saints looked energized, and the results followed.
Shough has only added to that sense of belief since the season ended. He made the rounds publicly praising his adopted city, served as Grand Marshal for the Krewe of Pygmalion, took charge during summer workouts and even covered the expenses for a group of his pass catchers to train together earlier this month in Southern California.
Now comes the tougher part. The schedule gets harder, and the film study gets heavier.
None of the five wins he authored came against a team with a winning record, so the next step will come with more pressure and more scrutiny. He looks ready for it, but the Saints won’t know for sure until he does it over a full season.
The roster around him looks different, too.
On offense, New Orleans has at least three new starters in running back Travis Etienne, guard David Edwards and receiver Jordyn Tyson, plus several other important additions. That gives Kellen Moore a deeper group of skill players to sort through, and it should make the offense more talented than it has been in some time.
The defense has its own reshuffling to manage. Demario Davis, the longtime centerpiece of that unit, left for the Jets. Alontae Taylor, who had been a four-year starter and most recently filled the Saints’ “Star” role, signed with the Titans.
To replace Davis’ role on the field, New Orleans brought back Kaden Elliss, one of its former draft picks. Jonas Sanker has been moved into Taylor’s old spot, while veteran Julian Blackmon - who missed most of last season with a shoulder injury - is expected to start at safety next to Justin Reid.
Special teams could look different, too. Ryan Wright is in line to finally solve the punting issues that have followed the Saints for years, while Charlie Smyth will have to beat out Tanner Brown, the UFL signee, to keep the kicking job.
Health is another early storyline.
Moore and Mickey Loomis are scheduled to speak Tuesday, and that should give a better read on who will not be ready when camp opens. Kendre Miller is one of the biggest names to watch.
The fourth-year running back has battled injuries throughout his career and is working back from an ACL tear suffered in the middle of the 2025 season. He did not take part in the on-field portion of summer workouts outside of walk throughs, and he could begin camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list.
That matters because the Saints’ young backs are likely competing for one roster spot behind Etienne and Alvin Kamara.
Tyson is another player to monitor closely. The Saints handled their first-round pick carefully this summer, keeping him mostly in individual periods. Injury was part of his college story, but New Orleans is going to need him moving at full speed before long.
And then there’s the part that doesn’t show up on a depth chart.
The vibe around camp has been off in recent years, whether players were trying to talk confidence into existence or saying the right things without much real belief behind them. This summer felt different. The roster seems to buy into Moore’s program, and there’s a sense that the finish to last season can carry into 2026 with Shough at quarterback.
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