The New Orleans Saints’ offense took a brutal hit before the season even got rolling, and now the front office has a decision to make.
First came the news that rookie wide receiver Jordyn Tyson will be sidelined for two months with a hamstring injury. Then the Saints announced that Alvin Kamara will miss a month with a sprained MCL. That leaves New Orleans heading into the 2026 season without its WR2 and RB2, a rough spot for a team that was already carrying modest expectations.
It’s too early to write the season off after two injuries, but the Saints can’t just sit on their hands and hope Chris Olave and whatever remains in the backfield can patch things together. They need help, and they need it from somewhere that can actually move the needle.
The obvious name is Tyreek Hill, the best free agent still on the board. Even coming off injury, Hill remains the kind of receiver who can instantly become a top target. But there are real reasons the Saints should think twice.
Spotrac projects Hill at about $15 million per year if he signs this season, and he would likely want some kind of long-term commitment as well. That’s a hefty price for a short-term fix.
There’s also the matter of Tyson’s development. Once the rookie returns, Hill would soak up touches and opportunities that should probably be going toward the young wideout.
That makes Austin Ekeler a more sensible target for New Orleans. Ekeler is also working back from a major injury after tearing his Achilles last year with the Commanders, so there’s risk there too. But the fit makes more sense.
Ekeler would slide into the backup role Kamara was supposed to handle this season, and given Kamara’s injury history, he could wind up seeing more work even after Kamara gets back. His receiving ability would help soften the blow from losing both Kamara and Tyson.
If the Saints want a receiver to cover for Tyson, the options are thin. Curtis Samuel, Zay Jones, and Hunter Renfrow don’t look like difference-makers for a team that badly needs juice at wideout. DeAndre Hopkins has the name recognition, but his age, recent performance, and current commitments make him a tough sell.
At this stage, any free-agent move is a gamble. For the Saints, the smarter gamble is on a player with proven credentials who is also coming back from injury.
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The Giants now roster two ex-Saints passers, with Jameis Winston also in the mix, while New Orleans has moved on from Derek Carrs retirement and into a younger room led by Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough. Haeners path is another small but notable twist in a quarterback landscape that has changed quickly for the Saints, and his next stop adds one more layer to a position group that remains very much in transition. [Read more 🡒]