A New Orleans Makeover: Winners and Losers from the Saints’ 2026 Draft Class
By JIM DERRY, Saints Draft Analyst
NEW ORLEANS, La. — The confetti has barely been swept from the stage in Pittsburgh, but the aftershocks of the 2026 NFL Draft are already reshaping the New Orleans Saints roster. For three days, VP Mickey Loomis and his front office sent a clear message to the NFC South: the Tyler Shough era is officially in “win-now” mode.
The strategy was aggressive and unapologetically offensive. By selecting Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson at No. 8 overall, followed by a trade for former first-round bust-turned-project Tyree Wilson, the Saints added eight rookies, ten undrafted free agents, and a veteran edge rusher.
While the influx of youth is exciting, it signals an inevitable changing of the guard. Some veterans are about to get rich because of this draft, while others are staring at the exits.
Here are the Biggest Winners and Losers from the Saints’ 2026 draft weekend.
WINNERS
Tyler Shough, Quarterback
This is the easiest analysis of the weekend. If there was any doubt that the front office views Shough as “the guy,” they erased it completely between March and April.
After signing running back Travis Etienne and guard David Edwards in free agency, the Saints used their premium draft capital to buy Shough a mansion full of toys. Tyson brings explosive downfield ability, third-rounder Oscar Delp (Georgia) is a security blanket over the middle, and fourth-rounder Bryce Lance (North Dakota State) adds a red-zone threat. The Saints didn’t just draft for need; they drafted to empower their sophomore quarterback.
Chris Olave, Wide Receiver
The narrative surrounding Olave has shifted from “elite route runner” to “injury concern” due to the concussions that have plagued his four-year career. By drafting Tyson and Lance, the Saints have finally provided the insurance policy Olave desperately needed.
He is entering a contract year, likely eyeing $30 million annually. The pressure to be the sole alpha is now gone. If Tyson lives up to his top-10 billing, Olave will see fewer double teams and, crucially, fewer violent hits over the middle. He remains the WR1, but now he has help.
Quincy Riley, Cornerback
Heading into the draft, the loss of Alontae Taylor to the Titans left a massive hole in the secondary. Most mock drafts had the Saints taking a corner like Mansoor Delane early. When Kansas City jumped ahead to take Delane, New Orleans pivoted to offense.
The result? Riley, a fourth-round pick from 2025 who flashed starter potential late last season, remains atop the depth chart. While the Saints added Lorenzo Styles (Ohio State) and T.J. Hall (Iowa) late on Day 3, neither is expected to challenge Riley for the CB1/CB2 role opposite Kool-Aid McKinstry. For a young corner, having the team pass on a first-rounder at your position is a massive vote of confidence.
Travis Etienne Jr., Running Back
The former Jaguar was already a winner when he signed his four-year, $47 million deal to come home to Louisiana. On Saturday, he got another win when the Saints didn’t draft a running back.
With Alvin Kamara’s future still murky and the potential for a holdout or trade looming, the Saints added Ohio State’s CJ Donaldson as an undrafted free agent. But that is merely a camp body. The Saints are riding with Etienne as the workhorse. He is the featured back in Kellen Moore’s offense, and the lack of competition in the draft solidifies his workload.
LOSERS
Cam Jordan, Edge Rusher
The future Hall of Famer remains unsigned, and the draft may have shut the door on his return to the Bayou. The Saints traded a fifth-round pick to the Raiders for Tyree Wilson—the No. 7 overall pick in 2023—and signed linebacker Anfernee Jennings.
Wilson is a reclamation project, but he is 26 years old. Jordan is 37. By acquiring Wilson and drafting edge help, the Saints have signaled they are moving toward youth and cost-effectiveness. Unless Jordan is willing to accept a drastic pay cut and a rotational role, it appears the all-time sack leader has played his last snap for New Orleans.
Bub Means & Trey Palmer, Wide Receiver
The wide receiver room was overcrowded entering the weekend. After adding three rookies (Tyson, Lance, and LSU’s Barion Brown), the math simply doesn’t work. The Saints currently have 14 receivers on the 90-man roster; that number will be trimmed to six or seven by September.
Means, a 2024 fifth-rounder who has barely seen the field due to injuries, and Palmer, a Louisiana native who missed all of 2025, are now on the chopping block. With Tyson and Olave locked in, and Vele and Lance offering special teams or size advantages, Means and Palmer look like the odd men out.
Cesar Ruiz, Right Guard
The former first-round pick has been a starter, but an inconsistent one. When the Saints drafted Auburn guard Jeremiah Wright in the fourth round, it wasn’t just for depth. Wright is a mauler who met with the Saints multiple times pre-draft.
The Saints restructured several contracts this spring but notably did not restructure Ruiz. That omission, combined with the investment in Wright, suggests 2026 is a “prove-it” year for Ruiz. If he doesn’t bounce back, and if Wright impresses, New Orleans could part ways with Ruiz as early as 2027 to save cap space.
Alvin Kamara (The Era)
Technically, Kamara is still on the roster, but the draft served as a eulogy for the old guard. The combination of signing Etienne and ignoring the running back position in the draft signals the offense is moving on from the Kamara-centric screen game.
Loomis stated a resolution to Kamara’s status is coming soon. Whether that is a trade or a release, the selection of pass-catchers like Lance—who excels in the flats—suggests the Saints are building a receiving corps that doesn’t rely on a running back catching 80 balls a year. The “Kamara role” is becoming the “Tyler Shough progression.”
Final Grade: A Swing for the Fences
This was a risky draft for New Orleans. They are betting that Tyree Wilson can revive his career in a new environment and that Jordyn Tyson can stay healthy after an injury-plagued college career. They neglected the defensive line until Day 2 and the secondary until Day 3, despite losing Taylor.
But the identity is clear: This is Tyler Shough’s team. The winners are the skill players catching passes from him. The losers are the defensive veterans and depth receivers caught in the numbers game.
Training camp in Metairie just got a whole lot more interesting.
