The Saints’ offseason has sparked a split reaction, but the biggest share of readers landed on a solid, if not glowing, grade.
In this week’s reacts poll, 44% of voters said they would give New Orleans a B for the work done over the offseason. That view seems to reflect both sides of the ledger: the 2026 draft class and the free-agent additions have given the team real reasons for optimism, but the injuries piling up before the regular season have also cast a shadow over camp.
Some of the most troubling setbacks have come to key names, including WR Jordyn Tyson, RB Alvin Kamara and DE Cam Jordan. Several other Saints have already been placed on injured reserve as well, adding to the unease around the roster.
Still, there are reasons the optimism hasn’t disappeared. The Saints head into the season with a favorable schedule and no uncertainty at quarterback, where Tyler Shough has been established as the team’s leader on and off the field. Shough also spent the offseason pulling teammates together, organizing multiple workouts to build chemistry and strengthen bonds inside the locker room.
One of those trips took the group to San Diego, where players got the chance to work with Saints legend Drew Brees.
Now the work moves from offseason discussion to the real thing. The Saints open the 2026 regular season in Detroit next Sunday against the Lions, and we’ll soon find out whether those extra reps and team-building sessions make a difference.
In Other News...
Saints Suddenly Have A Defensive Tackle Battle Worth Watching
The Saints entered the offseason with real questions up front after Bryan Bresees season-ending injury left their defensive tackle room looking thin. They answered part of that concern by taking rookie Christen Miller in the second round of the NFL Draft, and he has already made the most of his preseason opportunities, enough to put some pressure on veteran Davon Godchaux for a starting job.
Colby Woodens arrival after the 53-man roster deadline only adds another wrinkle to a position group that has gone from vulnerable to suddenly interesting. For New Orleans, the issue is no longer simply whether it has enough bodies inside, but how the rotation sorts itself out when there are legitimate snaps to be won and the competition is still taking shape. [Read more 🡒]
Jayden Price Is Suddenly Pushing For More Than A Saints Roster Spot
Jayden Price has gone from the fringe of the league to a real part of the Saints' plans, earning his first place on the 53-man active roster after spending last season on the practice squad and working his way through other leagues. His preseason opener only strengthened that case, when he picked off a pass and gave the staff another reminder that his path to New Orleans was built on persistence as much as promise.
Now Price is sitting behind Jonas Sanker at slot cornerback, but that does not make him an afterthought. The Saints can also use him in dime defensive back looks, which gives him a chance to matter in more than one way as the season unfolds. For a player whose NFL future once looked much less certain, simply making the roster was a milestone, but the more interesting question is how much more his role can grow from here. [Read more 🡒]
Archie Manning Still Holds A Place No Other Saint Can Claim
Long before the Saints built a modern identity around star quarterbacks, Archie Manning was the face of the franchises earliest hopes. Drafted in the first round in 1971, he spent 12 seasons in New Orleans, started 129 games and made two Pro Bowls while carrying a team still searching for traction. His place in club history is secure in more ways than one, from the Saints Hall of Fame to the Ring of Honor.
Even now, Manning stands alone in one small but telling way: he remains the only Saint to have worn No. 8. For a franchise that has seen plenty of notable players come and go, that number has never been passed along, a reminder of how deeply Manning is woven into the teams origin story. His family has carried the quarterback legacy into later generations, but in New Orleans, the number and the man still belong to the same chapter. [Read more 🡒]