The New Orleans Saints dropped to 2-5 in Paris after losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers. While the Saints’ season may look like a disappointment, their shortcomings could prove beneficial for them in the long run.
Besides the obvious draft positioning, New Orleans could be in a more favorable position for a rebuild than their record shows. From the 2001 season through 2025, 77 total teams have had a 2-5 record following Week 8. On average, those teams had a draft position of ninth, with 58.4% earning top-10 selections.
What separates the Saints from other rebuilding teams is their young foundation of players. The Saints already have a promising quarterback in Tyler Shough, All-Pro wide receiver Chris Olave, untested first-round selection Jordyn Tyson, and an established pass rusher in Chase Young.
A Foundation Already Exists for New Orleans
If Shough continues his development, the Saints could use a high draft pick to address other areas of need rather than search for another quarterback. Shough completed his 16th game as a starter against the Steelers. Through 18 appearances, he has thrown for 23 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, 4,105 passing yards, completing 67.3% of his passes.
Shough’s on a rookie deal with two years remaining. According to Over the Cap, Shough’s cap hits for the 2027 and 2028 seasons are $2.95 million and $3.44 million. His contract will account for approximately 1% of the NFL’s salary cap, giving them an inexpensive starting quarterback for the next two seasons.
With his contract as low as it is, the Saints could use the extra money filling other team needs such as offensive line, secondary and their defensive front.
Building Around the Quarterback
As of Week 8 of the 2026 season, 2025 second-team All-Pro wide receiver Chris Olave has played 15 games with Shough as the starter. In those 15, he has accumulated 97 catches, 1,296 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns.
Olave’s consistency is apparent and he has proven to be a great target regardless of who’s throwing to him. Olave has surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in 2022, 2023 and 2025 despite changes at quarterback; 2024 is an exception because his season was cut short due to injury.
Despite catching passes from seven different quarterbacks, Olave across 62 career games has averaged 93 receptions, 1197 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns per 17 games.
Olave recently signed a four-year, $124 million contract extension, keeping him with the Saints through the 2030 season, and providing Shough stability at the receiver position.
While Olave is a great target, the Saints decided to give Shough more help by drafting Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson with the eighth pick of the 2026 NFL Draft. Tyson’s ability to make explosive plays caught the Saints’ eye.
In Tyson’s last two seasons at Arizona State, he totaled 136 catches for 1,812 receiving yards and 18 receiving touchdowns. Tyson’s biggest knock on him was his availability, as he missed 17 games due to injury.
His injury concerns have yet to be quelled as he suffered yet another hamstring setback in August 2026 and has yet to make his regular season debut through the Saints’ first seven games.
A healthy Tyson could give Shough another playmaker, but he still needs to demonstrate that he can stay on the field.
A Chance to Add Premium Talent
According to Bleacher Report’s projected draft order following Week 7, the Saints would hold the 10th pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Barring a complete turnaround, New Orleans could find itself in a position to select one of the draft’s best prospects. Potential players include edge rusher Dylan Stewart, cornerback Kelley Jones, linebacker Chris Cole, and tight end Trey’Dez Green along with many other game changers.
New Orleans already has an established pass rusher in Chase Young generating pressure. Young’s seven sacks through Week 7 ranked second in the NFL. In 2025, Young missed the first five games of the season and recorded a career high 10 sacks.
Through Week 7, the Saints ranked 28th in total defense. By adding another premium pass rusher alongside Young, opposing offenses would have another threat to account for, potentially reducing pressure on Young to generate sacks without help.
Young has proven he can produce despite the Saints’ defensive struggles. Adding another premium defender could help New Orleans turn that individual production into a formidable defensive front.
A Chance for Organizational Change
Having an affordable quarterback, established talent and potential access to premium draft capital presents an opportunity for new leadership and new players.
The Saints currently have 25 players who could hit free agency after the 2026 season. Notable names include veterans Alvin Kamara and Cam Jordan, and with their potential departures, New Orleans must decide on what it’s going to address the positions long-term.
While the Saints signed Travis Etienne Jr. during the offseason to alleviate Kamara’s usage, he’s been sidelined with a hamstring injury suffered in Week 3 against the Raiders and was placed on injured reserve on Oct. 1.
When healthy, Etienne gives the Saints another backfield option if Kamara leaves. In addition to potential departures, Cam Jordan’s possible departure could increase the importance of the Saints’ need to find another pass-rusher.
The team’s owner Gayle Benson hasn’t shied away from the team’s lack of success, stating on Oct. 13, after a 1-4 start that “Words will not restore our fans’ confidence. Our performance must do that” and “I am responsible for holding this organization accountable.”
General manager Mickey Loomis, on Oct. 21, had a different outlook stating that he liked the direction they were headed, and argued that the Saints were a young team that needed time to develop.
The Opportunity Ahead
Whether the Saints decide to retain their current leadership or make changes, their young talent and potential draft capital could provide a foundation for future success. These opportunities, however, will depend on decisions made by the front office and coaching staff.
Starting 2-5 is disappointing, but the Saints aren’t starting at the bottom. Young, Olave, Shough and Tyson provide the Saints with a foundation, while draft positioning could add another premium player. These advantages do not guarantee success however, as the organization must make the right personnel and leadership decisions going forward.
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