Saints Have 4 Clear Breakout Candidates After an Aggressive Offseason
METAIRIE, La. — The New Orleans Saints have navigated one of the most transformative offseasons in the NFC, reshaping their roster with a clear mandate to support second-year quarterback Tyler Shough. While major headlines focused on the arrivals of running back Travis Etienne Jr. and a slew of rookie wide receivers, the “Who Dat” faithful may see their team’s 2026 ceiling determined not by the stars, but by the role players poised to explode.
Amidst the flurry of moves—including a notable trade for defensive end Tyree Wilson and the departure of veteran stalwarts like Alontae Taylor—analysts have identified four specific players currently flying under the radar who are primed for breakout campaigns.
From a former Longhorn reuniting with his college coach to a cornerback with one of the best names in the league finally putting it all together, here are the four clear breakout candidates for the New Orleans Saints following an aggressive offseason.
The Dynamic RB3: Devin Neal
The Saints’ running back room looks crowded on paper, featuring newly signed free agent Travis Etienne Jr. and future Hall of Famer Alvin Kamara. However, 2025 draft pick Devin Neal is the name drawing rave reviews inside the building as a potential “X-factor” .
Neal’s rookie season was largely a write-off due to lingering injuries, preventing fans from seeing the power and elusiveness that made him a star at Kansas. According to Drew Collings of Who Dat Dish, Neal’s specific skill set makes him an ideal fit next to the current starters.
Because Etienne and Kamara share similar skill sets as elusive, pass-catching backs, the Saints lack a true “hammer” in the backfield. Neal fits that role perfectly.
“His rare combination of power and elusiveness makes him an ideal fit next to Travis Etienne Jr. and Alvin Kamara,” Collings wrote. “Don’t be surprised if he’s a major contributor next season” .
The recent release of running back Evan Hull further clears the path for Neal to secure the RB3 role, which in Kellen Moore’s offense translates to a specific short-yardage and situational workload .
The CB1 in Waiting: Kool-Aid McKinstry
Perhaps the most significant opportunity for a breakout comes from the defensive backfield. The Saints lost starting nickel Alontae Taylor to the Tennessee Titans in free agency, and despite entering the 2026 NFL Draft with a plan to address cornerback early, General Manager Mickey Loomis admitted, “It just didn’t work out” .
New Orleans didn’t select a cornerback until the seventh round. This lack of external competition signals immense faith in third-year man Kool-Aid McKinstry.
McKinstry showed steady growth in his second professional season, posting a 69.5 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, including a 71.4 mark in coverage . Now entering Year 3—historically the “leap year” for defensive backs—McKinstry is expected to seize a full-time starting role, likely opposite Marshon Lattimore.
“The organizations confidence in his progression likely explains why they didn’t make a major move at the position this offseason,” Tramell Jeffers noted, emphasizing that his instincts and ball skills are expected to shine with a full offseason as the presumed starter .
The Texas Reunion: Vernon Broughton
The Saints’ defensive line coach Bo Davis knows a thing or two about defensive tackles. After coaching him at the University of Texas, Davis pushed the Saints to select Vernon Broughton in the 2025 draft. However, a hip injury suffered in Week 2 derailed his rookie campaign before it could truly begin.
Now healthy, Broughton is being touted as one of the most under-the-radar breakout candidates on the entire roster . The Saints have aggressively rotated their defensive front this offseason, but youth and versatility are prized commodities.
Broughton offers a unique blend of size and athleticism that Davis prefers in an interior pass-rusher. If he remains healthy, he is expected to carve out a significant role in the rotation immediately behind starters Davon Godchaux and veteran Cam Jordan, who remains a free agent but has expressed interest in returning .
Molly Bauer highlighted the importance of the coach-player connection: “Saints defensive line coach Bo Davis coached Broughton back at the University of Texas. Davis is a huge fan of his versatility, and if he’s game, then we all should be” .
The New STAR: Jonas Sanker
With Alontae Taylor gone, the “STAR” nickel position is up for grabs, and Jonas Sanker appears to have the inside track . While free-agent addition Julian Blackmon provides range as a deep safety, Sanker brings the physicality required to handle slot receivers and support the run in the box.
Sanker got his feet wet as a rookie in 2025, but the departure of Taylor forces him into immediate relevance. Darrion Gray of Who Dat Dish describes him as the “likeliest replacement,” specifically citing his physicality and instincts.
The 2026 preseason will be a proving ground for Sanker in coverage, but if his pass defense matches his run-stopping ability, the Saints may have found a long-term chess piece for Brandon Staley’s defense .
“If his coverage matches up, you could be watching an impact player forming at one of Brandon Staley’s most important positions,” Gray wrote .
The Aggressive Shift
The underlying theme of these four names—McKinstry, Broughton, Sanker, and Neal—is that they represent the fruits of the Saints’ aggressive roster restructuring. Rather than signing expensive veterans to plug every hole, the front office appears to be betting on internal development.
This strategy carries risk, particularly in the secondary where the “plan didn’t work out” during the draft . However, if these four candidates hit their ceilings, the Saints will have successfully blended a win-now mentality (adding Etienne and Wilson) with the cheap, explosive talent necessary to contend with the rising stars of the NFC South.
For Shough and head coach Kellen Moore, the success of the 2026 season may come down to how many of these four names become household staples by November.
