The New Orleans Saints are starting to draw real buzz for 2026, and one NFL analyst thinks the offense is the biggest reason why.
The Athletic’s Ted Nguyen listed five offenses he expects to break out next season, and he saved the Saints for last. That comes with plenty of optimism around New Orleans after a strong finish to 2025, even if sportsbooks still aren’t treating them like the favorite to win the NFC South.
Nguyen pointed to how much of the foundation is already in place. He noted that the Saints have built their offensive line through the draft, with left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. coming in this year and right tackle Taliese Fuaga arriving in 2024. He also highlighted Chris Olave’s rise into star territory and said Tyler Shough, a second-round pick last season, looks capable of becoming an above-average starter.
The backfield, in Nguyen’s view, doesn’t need a headline-grabber to work. He wrote that while the Saints don’t have a star at running back, the pairing of Travis Etienne Jr. and Alvin Kamara should be enough.
The line could be the real swing factor. Nguyen said free-agent addition David Edwards, whom he called the best guard available, gives New Orleans a chance to field a very strong front.
That matters because the Saints were 28th in rushing success last season and finished with the league’s worst red zone touchdown percentage. Nguyen doesn’t expect the ground game to suddenly become explosive, but he does think it can become more efficient and help clean up those red zone problems.
Protection for Shough is the other major piece. The Saints ranked 29th in pass block win rate in 2025, and Nguyen believes another year of growth for Banks plus Edwards inside him should help keep the quarterback cleaner.
That’s no small thing. According to Pro Football Focus, Shough ranked 41st among qualifying quarterbacks in pressure-to-sack rate, and his efficiency falls sharply when he’s under pressure.
If New Orleans can give him time, Nguyen thinks Shough has a path to producing like a tier 2 quarterback. It would also be his second season in Kellen Moore’s system, with Chris Olave and first-round pick Jordyn Tyson available as targets. Nguyen said Tyson has WR1 ability, but also noted that he has to stay healthy after limited participation in OTAs because of a hamstring injury suffered last season.
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