The New Orleans Saints gave their fans plenty to feel good about by closing the 2025 season with five wins in their final six games, but not everybody is buying into the optimism around 2026.
That skepticism showed up in a recent CBS Sports ranking of every team’s triplets - quarterback, running back, and pass catcher. New Orleans’ group of Tyler Shough, Travis Etienne, and Chris Olave landed at No. 23, and Jared Dubin wasn’t exactly sold on the trio.
Dubin pointed to Shough’s late-season surge, but noted that the stretch driving the excitement came against weak competition. He was even harsher on Etienne, saying the back is “getting by on name value” after averaging just 3.9 yards a carry over the last three seasons. As for Olave, Dubin called him a good player but flagged him as a health risk because of his injury history.
Dubin finished by giving Kellen Moore credit, arguing that he can lift players above their natural level. Still, the overall message was clear: he doesn’t have a high opinion of New Orleans’ top offensive pieces. And while the ranking focused only on the leading trio, a low grade there usually says plenty about how the rest of the offense is viewed.
There’s still plenty to like about the Saints’ skill group if you’re looking for reasons to hope. Shough showed enough as a rookie to get fans talking, Etienne was productive in a strong Jacksonville Jaguars offense, and Olave has played 15 or more games in three of his four seasons. New Orleans also still has Alvin Kamara and Juwan Johnson, and the team added first-round receiver Jordyn Tyson to the mix.
Now it’s about making all of that fit on the field. If the Saints can pull it together early, the offseason buzz could turn into something a lot more real once the games start counting.
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