The New Orleans Saints came into this offseason with a lot more hope attached to their offense, but training camp hasn’t exactly backed that up.
That’s the tricky part here. A year ago, expectations were so modest that Kellen Moore’s new system was allowed some breathing room.
The roster wasn’t finished, the offense had obvious growing pains, and that was pretty much the story until Tyler Shough took over at quarterback and helped steady things. This time around, the bar is higher - and so far, the camp work has been uneven.
Moore and Shough both should be taking a step forward after a year in the system, even if Shough has had a little less time in it. For Moore, the next leap has to come in the details: handling situational moments better, making the right calls when things get tight, and getting the offense into a more reliable rhythm.
Shough’s checklist is just as clear. He needs better pocket presence and a cleaner overall game.
Those are the exact areas the Saints need to sharpen if they want real success, but camp hasn’t shown enough of that yet.
There have been flashes. Some practices have looked crisp, with Shough making plays and the offense finding a groove.
But the bad days have been more noticeable. Shough has thrown interceptions, missed some throws, and the offensive line has let too much pressure leak through.
The red zone has also been a problem, with the play-calling there leaving plenty to be desired.
The picks and the occasional errant throws from Shough are not the biggest concern. It’s practice, and even top quarterbacks put the ball in harm’s way or miss a few. Shough has generally been more careful once the games count, and he’s still building timing with a receiving group that includes several new options.
The bigger issue is the red-zone offense. With the Saints’ kickers also struggling early, finishing drives properly matters even more.
If the offense can cash in down there, it won’t have to lean on special teams as much. Last season, a better red-zone attack could have changed the Saints’ record and maybe even pushed them into the playoffs.
Right now, the early camp issues raise a real question: are these just temporary growing pains, or something more stubborn?
One possible explanation is that Brandon Staley and the defenders know Moore’s offense well enough to make life harder in practice. Even if that’s part of it, the concern doesn’t disappear.
The Saints can’t afford another season of marching inside the 20 and coming away with nothing three or four times in a game. That’s the red flag to watch in preseason.
If it’s still happening there, it could wipe out a lot of the optimism surrounding this offense.
In Other News...
Jayden Price Is Making Noise In A Saints Battle That Isnt Settled
The Saints cornerback competition has been one of the more watched position battles in camp, and Jayden Price has made himself part of the conversation with a steady showing and the kind of versatility teams look for when sorting out the back end of the roster. He has been working as a backup slot cornerback option, which gives him a path to carve out a role if he keeps stacking solid practices and preseason snaps.
Prices place, though, is still very much up for grabs. New Orleans has not settled its depth chart at the position, and the competition around him remains tight as the preseason moves forward, leaving his roster chances tied to how well he can separate himself from the rest of the group before cut-down decisions arrive. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Preseason Opener Could Shake Up More Than A Few Roster Spots
With the starters staying on the sideline for Fridays preseason opener against the Jaguars, the Saints are turning the spotlight on the part of camp that usually decides the back end of a roster. This is the first real chance for depth players and rookies to turn training-camp buzz into something more permanent, and a handful of names have already surfaced as the ones worth tracking. Running backs Audric Estime and C.J. Donaldson, receivers Bryce Lance, Barion Brown and Kevin Austin, and linemen Jeremiah Wright and Christen Miller all enter the game with something to prove.
The roster math is only getting tighter because several players have been slowed by injuries or practice restrictions, limiting how much of a case they can make before the preseason games start to matter. For a team trying to sort out reserve roles across multiple position groups, that makes every snap against Jacksonville useful and every mistake costly. The Saints may not be revealing their full hand yet, but the opener should at least clarify which camp standouts are starting to separate themselves from the pack. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Take An Intriguing Camp Swing On Defensive Line Help
The Saints added another arm to their defensive front by signing former Kentucky tackle Kahlil Saunders, giving training camp a fresh look along the line after placing offensive lineman Dillon Radunz on injured reserve. Saunders arrives as an undrafted rookie, but he brings SEC experience and the kind of athletic traits that tend to get a staffs attention once the pads come on.
For New Orleans, the appeal is pretty straightforward: a player with some versatility, some pass-rushing juice and a chance to carve out a spot in the rotation if he can hold up through camp. The challenge is just as clear, though, because the Saints are still sorting through a crowded competition and Saunders will have to do more than flash to stick on the final roster. [Read more 🡒]