2026 NFL Season Preview: New Orleans Saints

New Orleans Saints



2026 NFL Season Preview:

Veteran Additions:
RB Travis Etienne, TE Noah Fant, G David Edwards, OLB Anfernee Jennings, OLB Tyree Wilson, ILB Kaden Elliss, CB Martin Emerson Jr., P Ryan Wright.
Early Draft Picks:
WR Jordyn Tyson, NT Christen Miller, TE Oscar Delp, WR Bryce Lance, G Jeremiah Wright. Saints Rookie Forecast
Offseason Losses:
TE Taysom Hill, TE Foster Moreau, C Luke Fortner, DE Jonathan Bullard, DE Chris Rumph, DT John Ridgeway, ILB Demario Davis, CB Alontae Taylor, CB Michael Davis, S Ugo Amadi.

2026 New Orleans Saints Offense:
The Derek Carr era in New Orleans ended unceremoniously, forcing the front office to find a viable replacement for the veteran quarterback. They used a second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on Tyler Shough, which drew some criticism because of Shough’s age. Shough, who was in college for what seemed like an eternity, will be 27 a couple of weeks into his second professional season.

Shough, however, outperformed all expectations last year. New Orleans supporters had to endure some miserable starts from Spencer Rattler before Shough replaced him in the middle of the season. Shough had a rough initial start against the Rams, but improved each week after that. By the end of his rookie season, Shough was performing on a high level, whether it was throwing passes or using his legs to pick up chunks of yardage on the ground.

Shough didn’t have much of a supporting cast beyond Chris Olave and Juwan Johnson last year. Granted, both had terrific seasons, but more talent was needed around Shough for him to take the next step. New Orleans recognized this and used the No. 8 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Jordyn Tyson. The rookie receiver is an explosive athlete and profiles as a potential No. 1 target down the road, though he has a history of hamstring issues. Still, Shough has to be thrilled with Tyson, especially if Olave’s concussion issues resurface. The Saints also used a fourth-round selection on Bryce Lance, an extremely athletic receiver.

Tyson wasn’t the first playmaker the Saints added to Shough’s arsenal this offseason. They also signed Travis Etienne to a large contract in free agency. Etienne had a great year in Jacksonville, and he could be an upgrade over the rapidly aging Alvin Kamara. However, it’s fair to be skeptical of the signing because Etienne is just one year removed from being benched in favor of Tank Bigsby. Part of the reason Etienne was so great in 2025 was that running back whisperer Liam Coen breathed life into his career. There’s an extensive history of running backs declining after being separated from the current Jacksonville head coach.

Etienne at least has a chance behind a stellar offensive line. The Saints used consecutive first-round picks on tackles, snatching Taliese Fuaga and Kelvin Banks in 2024 and 2025, respectively. While Fuaga was decent last year, Banks was especially strong despite being a rookie. Banks showed great potential and could be much better now that he has professional experience.

The Saints also have some strong talent in the interior of their blocking unit. Erik McCoy is one of the better centers in the NFL, though he played just seven games last year due to injury. He suffered a torn biceps, so he’ll be ready to go in 2026. Guards Cesar Ruiz and Dillon Radunz weren’t as good as the other three linemen, so the Saints made a sharp move in free agency by signing David Edwards away from the Bills. Edwards is a stout guard who will provide an upgrade at one of the two spots.



2026 New Orleans Saints Defense:
While the Saints made some positive changes to their offense, they parted ways with a mainstay of their defense. That player’s departure will have a colossal impact.

That player is Demario Davis. The 37-year-old wonder had been patrolling the middle of New Orleans’ defense since 2018. Despite his age, he was still a fantastic player, so his presence will sorely be missed. The Saints countered Davis’ departure for the Jets by signing a former player of theirs, Kaden Elliss. Originally drafted by the Saints in the seventh round of the 2019 NFL Draft, Elliss played three years for New Orleans before signing with the Falcons. Elliss is a jack-of-all-trades linebacker; he can do anything from play the run well, to cover the middle of the field, to rush the passer. He’ll be a very capable replacement for Davis, and he’ll play alongside Pete Werner, who is coming off a down year. Werner, however, is just 27, so he’s young enough to rebound.

The Saints also thought they would lose Cameron Jordan, but he was re-signed in June. Jordan is now 37, but he still played relatively well last year. He had a team-high 10.5 sacks, so his pass-rushing presence will be welcome for at least one more year. If Jordan regresses, Elliss will help pick up the slack, as will Chase Young, who notched 10 sacks in 2025. Carl Granderson, who collected six sacks last year, will be asked to do more. The Saints also signed former first-rounder Tyree Wilson, who was a colossal bust with the Raiders. Perhaps there’s a chance Wilson can salvage his career, though that seems unlikely.

It was expected that the Saints would use an early draft pick on an edge rusher. Instead, they spent a second-round selection on nose tackle Christen Miller to help stop the run. Miller shouldn’t have an issue unseating the anemic Davon Godchaux for a starting role. If so, Miller will be flanked by Bryan Bresee and Nathan Shepherd. Bresee is a former first-round pick who hasn’t lived up to his draft billing, but is still young enough to make a big leap. Shepherd, conversely, was the best player in this area last year, which is far from a positive because he was just a mediocre performer.

Alontae Taylor, a mediocre cornerback, signed elsewhere in free agency. He won’t be missed as much as New Orleans’ other departures, thanks to the presence of Kool-Aid McKinstry, who thrived as a second-round pick from the 2024 NFL Draft. McKinstry will start opposite Quincy Riley, who had some bright moments toward the end of last year’s rookie campaign. Replacing Taylor in the slot will be Julian Blackmon, who missed all but one game last season because of a torn labrum.

Blackmon could always move to safety if the Saints find another cornerback to play in the slot. There’s some decent competition at safety, where Justin Reid and Jonas Sanker are slated to start. Reid is a quality player, while Sanker started last year despite being a third-round rookie. He wasn’t great, but he wasn’t a liability either.



2026 New Orleans Saints Schedule and Intangibles:
The Saints were 75-45 at home this past decade-plus, including 46-33 in the previous eight years. However, they’ve suffered some horrible losses at home in the playoffs.

Blake Grupe replaced Wil Lutz as the team’s kicker three years ago. Charlie Smyth then replaced Grupe. Smith hit some big kicks last year, going 12-of-16, including 4-of-6 from 50-plus.

New punter Ryan Wright was one of the top punters in the NFL last year, ranking fourth in net average. He also did well to place the opposition inside the 20.

The Saints have a much easier schedule than everyone else in the division. Instead of battling the 49ers, Seahawks, or Rams, they get to take on the Cardinals. And instead of going against the Chargers, Broncos, or Chiefs, they’ll battle the Raiders. The Saints have just a few very tough games against the Lions, Bears, Ravens, and Bengals.



2026 New Orleans Saints Rookies:
Go here for the Saints Rookie Forecast, a page with predictions like which rookie will bust and which rookie will become a solid starter.



2026 New Orleans Saints Positional Rankings (1-5 stars):

Quarterbacks		Offensive Line		Secondary
Running Backs		Defensive Line		Special Teams
Receivers		Linebackers		Coaching

--Offseason Reports Lander-- Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills Carolina Panthers Chicago Bears Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Dallas Cowboys Denver Broncos Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Kansas City Chiefs Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams Las Vegas Raiders Miami Dolphins Minnesota Vikings New England Patriots New Orleans Saints New York Giants New York Jets Philadelphia Eagles Pittsburgh Steelers Seattle Seahawks San Francisco 49ers Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans Washington Commanders

2026 NFL Mock Draft | 2027 NFL Mock Draft

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Other 2025 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/24)
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Other 2026 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/23)
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