Saints QB Tyler Shough Breakout on Hold? Breaking Down the 2026 Receiver Haul
METAIRIE, La. – New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough entered the 2026 offseason with a clear mission: build chemistry with the new faces in his receiving corps. After a 5-4 rookie campaign that showed promise but lacked explosive plays, the franchise responded by surrounding its young signal-caller with a blend of high-ceiling draft talent.
Speaking last week at the Zurich Classic Celebrity Shootout in Avondale, Shough offered his most candid assessment yet of the team’s draft strategy and how he is preparing to elevate an offense that ranked near the bottom of the NFL in deep passing in 2025 .
“I’m excited about what we are building,” Shough said, per WGNO. “The front office had a clear vision. When you look at the receiver class in this draft, it was deep with different flavors. It wasn’t just about speed; it was about finding specific guys who fit what Kellen (Moore) wants to do.”
The Saints’ draft grades have been solid, with national outlets like Yahoo Sports giving the team an A- for their haul . However, for Shough, the real work begins now as he integrates a volatile but talented group of rookies into a offense desperate for a vertical threat.
The “Slasher” and the “Freakshow”
New Orleans used its premium capital to address the lack of big plays. After finishing 2025 with only 33 completions of 20-plus yards—ahead of only the New York Jets—the Saints drafted Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson with the No. 8 overall pick .
Tyson, the brother of NBA player Jaylon Tyson, brings a dynamic “slasher” skill set to the Bayou. He is a fluid mover who excels against zone coverage and is lethal on post routes and intermediate digs . However, his draft stock was volatile due to a concerning medical history that includes torn knee ligaments, a broken collarbone, and hamstring issues .
“He’s got that dog in him,” Shough said of Tyson. “You see it on tape. When the lights were brightest in college, he made the plays. If we can keep him healthy and on the field, he changes how defenses have to play us.”
While Tyson is expected to start immediately, the name creating the most buzz in the locker room is fourth-round pick Bryce Lance. The North Dakota State product and brother of quarterback Trey Lance is being labeled a “freakshow” by draft analysts .
Standing 6-foot-3 and running a 4.34-second 40-yard dash, Lance posted 94th-percentile athletic testing numbers at the Combine . While his route tree at the FCS level was limited, his ability to track the deep ball is exactly what the Saints’ offense lacked.
“You watch Bryce run, and you just see the juice,” Shough noted. “He’s a big target who can jump out of the building. It’s my job to get him the ball in space and let him work.”
The Shough Evolution
For the Saints’ plan to work, Shough must take a significant step forward. The 2025 second-round pick (No. 40 overall) had a respectable but unspectacular debut, throwing for 2,384 yards, 10 touchdowns, and six interceptions while absorbing 31 sacks .
Coach Kellen Moore, who won a Super Bowl as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator before arriving in New Orleans, emphasized that the draft was about building “continuity” . But continuity is hard to find when your primary weapon has an injury history as complex as Tyson’s.
In the same draft, the Saints added Georgia tight end Oscar Delp (Round 3, No. 73) to pair with veterans Juwan Johnson and Noah Fant . Delp is more of a blocker at this stage, catching just 20 passes last season, but he adds size to the red-zone package .
Sorting Through the Numbers
The immediate issue facing General Manager Mickey Loomis and Coach Moore is a severe logjam at the skill positions. Following the draft and subsequent free-agent signings, the Saints’ roster ballooned to 90 players, including a staggering 14 wide receivers .
Currently, the depth chart projects Tyson and Chris Olave as the starters, with Devaughn Vele in the slot and Bryce Lance pushing for rotational snaps . Veterans like Kevin Austin Jr., Ja’Lynn Polk, and Bub Means are fighting for their roster lives.
However, Shough is adamant that the competition will only accelerate the offense’s growth. “Iron sharpens iron,” he said. “You look in that room, and there are guys who have played a lot of football. Then you add the young bucks who are hungry. We have to push the ball down the field. That is the emphasis this year.”
While the national media has given the Saints solid grades for addressing their needs—landing in the top half of most draft rankings—the real test begins in training camp . Shough will have to develop chemistry quickly with Tyson, who has struggled with inconsistency in his route release against press coverage, and trust Lance, who is raw but explosive.
“We aren’t shying away from the deep ball,” Shough concluded. “We are going to take our shots.”
The Saints will open their offseason workout program next month as Shough begins the critical second-year leap that defines young NFL quarterbacks.
