The New Orleans Saints didn’t just lose Rashid Shaheed at the trade deadline. They also lost the kind of threat who could tilt a game with one touch, whether it came as a receiver or in the return game. After that move, the offense was left without a consistent spark outside of All-Pro Chris Olave.
New Orleans responded by attacking the receiver spot in the 2026 NFL Draft, using three of its eight picks on wideouts. One of those swings came in the sixth round, when the Saints took Barion Brown from LSU with pick No. 190.
Brown arrives with the kind of profile that jumps off the screen. He’s the sort of player who can turn a routine snap into a highlight, and his speed gives him a chance to matter immediately as both a pass catcher and a kick returner. The Saints are betting on him to bring the kind of splash plays Shaheed provided, only at a much lower cost.
His college résumé backs up the excitement. Brown put together a decorated run at Kentucky and LSU, earning first team All-American honors in 2023 and picking up both First and Second Team All-SEC recognition. Over that stretch, he totaled 175 receptions for 2,060 yards and 12 touchdowns, while adding 66 kick returns for 1,910 yards and 6 touchdowns.
The tape and the testing both point in the same direction. Brown’s speed stands out whether he’s racing downfield on a route or flipping field position on special teams, and that explosiveness was on display at the NFL combine when he ran a 4.40 yard dash. Even if that number didn’t lead the board, his game speed looks even more dangerous on film.
For New Orleans, the appeal is obvious: a dynamic playmaker with the tools to step into the role Shaheed left behind. If Brown develops the way the Saints hope, they could end up with a bargain while saving $16 million annually over the next four seasons.
In Other News...
Kellen Moore Might Finally Get The Saints Weapon They've Been Missing
A hypothetical draft board can change the way a teams future looks in a hurry, and this one gives the Saints a chance to imagine a very different kind of offense. In the seven-round scenario, New Orleans lands Jordan Love early and then circles back for Malik Nabers, a receiver whose burst and route-running would fit neatly into the kind of passing game Kellen Moore has tried to build around playmakers who can win after the catch.
The appeal is obvious because Nabers already looked like a difference-maker as a rookie, and the comparison to CeeDee Lamb only sharpens the picture of what Moore might be able to shape in New Orleans. The lingering question is whether the board would ever break that cleanly for the Saints, because in this setup Nabers is still there late enough to become the kind of value pick that can tilt a draft and give Moore the weapon this offense has been missing. [Read more 🡒]
Former Saints Champion Just Resurfaced In Deion Sanders' Staff Shakeup
Deion Sanders has kept the Colorado staff in motion, and the latest additions bring in two former NFL players with a familiar connection to his new defensive coordinator. Pierson Prioleau and Xavier Adibi have been hired as defensive quality control analysts, giving the Buffaloes more experience on the defensive side after a recent run of turnover on the sideline.
For Saints fans, Prioleaus name still carries some weight from his days as a New Orleans champion, and now he is resurfacing in a different role under Sanders. Both hires worked with new defensive coordinator Chris Marve at Virginia Tech, which gives Colorado some continuity as it tries to settle the staff after the departures of Marshall Faulk and Warren Sapp. [Read more 🡒]
Tyler Shough Just Sent A Strong Message About Saints Wideouts
Tyler Shough has not been shy about what he sees when he looks at the Saints receiving room. Speaking on Chris Longs podcast, the quarterback praised Chris Olave and Jordyn Tyson as the kind of pass catchers who can make life easier on an offense, pointing to their speed, route-running and ability to create plays after the catch. For a New Orleans team trying to build chemistry around its young quarterback, those are the kinds of early impressions that matter.
Shoughs comments also offered a glimpse into how he views Tyson beyond the highlights. He acknowledged the receivers injury history, but made it clear he is still eager to get to work with him this season. The Saints have spent plenty of time looking for more reliable explosiveness on the outside, and Shoughs confidence in both receivers suggests he already sees a pairing with real upside if they can stay on the field. [Read more 🡒]