By Gee Bino | The Who Dat Daily
CAN THE SAINTS TAKE THE NEXT STEP?
The 2026 Saints training camp represents something far more important than another summer evaluation period. For the first time in years, New Orleans enters camp with a young quarterback capable of changing the franchise’s trajectory, an aggressively reworked roster, and legitimate expectations of competing in the NFC South.
Tyler Shough’s late-season emergence helped the Saints recover from a 1–8 start and finish 5–3 over their final eight games. Now comes the difficult part. Shough and the Saints must prove that last year’s surge was the beginning of something sustainable—not merely a promising finish after the season had already slipped away.
Kellen Moore is entering his second year as New Orleans’ head coach. Brandon Staley is entering his second season directing the defense. The staff has greater familiarity with the roster, but it also faces substantially higher expectations.
When the Saints report to Metairie, these 10 questions will define training camp and potentially determine the direction of their 2026 season.
Key Saints Training Camp Dates
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| July 28 | Players report to the Ochsner Sports Performance Center |
| July 30 | First practice open to the Who Dat Nation |
| August 13 | Joint practice with the Jacksonville Jaguars |
| August 17 | Saints travel to California |
| August 18 | Joint practice with the Dallas Cowboys in Oxnard |
The joint practices will be especially valuable. Controlled work against Jacksonville and Dallas will allow the coaching staff to evaluate players in competitive situations without exposing them to an entire preseason game.
1. Can Tyler Shough Sustain His Late-Season Breakout?
Shough completely changed the conversation surrounding the Saints during the second half of 2025.
The franchise went from wondering whether it needed to restart its quarterback search to believing it may already have its long-term answer. Shough demonstrated toughness, accuracy, poise under pressure and the willingness to challenge defenses beyond the sticks.
However, the league now has an offseason’s worth of film on him.
Defensive coordinators will study which coverages made him hesitate, how he responded to pressure and where his accuracy declined. Shough will no longer benefit from being an unfamiliar young quarterback entering the lineup during a lost season.
Training camp must show that he has progressed beyond his encouraging rookie traits. He must command protections, recognize pressure before the snap and operate Moore’s offense with greater control.
This is also Shough’s second season in Moore’s system, not his introduction to an entirely new playbook. That continuity should allow the Saints to expand the offense instead of rebuilding it from the beginning.
The quarterback does not need to be spectacular every day. He needs to look decisive, consistent and unquestionably in control of the team.
2. Will the Offensive Line Gel in Time?
Shough was sacked 31 times in nine starts last season. Regardless of how much promise the quarterback showed, that rate of punishment is not sustainable.
New Orleans has invested heavily in protecting him. Kelvin Banks Jr. and Taliese Fuaga give the Saints two young first-round building blocks at tackle, while Erik McCoy remains the stabilizing force at center. Veteran David Edwards was added during free agency to reinforce the interior.
The challenge is turning those individual pieces into a cohesive unit.
Offensive-line success depends on communication, timing and trust. Five capable blockers can still struggle if they fail to pass off twists, recognize disguised pressures or adjust together when the defense changes its front.
The line’s performance will also affect the rest of the offensive identity. Better protection gives Shough time to find Chris Olave and Jordyn Tyson downfield. Cleaner run blocking allows Travis Etienne Jr. and Alvin Kamara to attack space instead of creating yards behind immediate penetration.
If the offensive line develops quickly, New Orleans could field one of the NFL’s most improved offenses. If it struggles, every other offensive projection becomes harder to realize.
3. Who Wins the Backup Quarterback Competition?
Spencer Rattler enters camp with experience in Moore’s system and a strong understanding of the Saints’ personnel. That should make him the early favorite to remain Shough’s backup.
Zach Wilson gives the competition a fascinating second layer.
Wilson arrived in New Orleans after being selected second overall by the New York Jets in 2021. His career has not followed the trajectory expected of such a highly drafted quarterback, but the arm talent and athletic ability that once made him an elite prospect have not disappeared. The Saints describe Wilson as a sixth-year quarterback joining the team as an unrestricted free agent.
Rattler offers continuity. Wilson offers physical upside and a fresh opportunity.
The competition should be judged on more than spectacular practice throws. Ball security, pre-snap operation, command of the huddle and consistency against pressure will decide which quarterback the staff trusts if Shough misses time.
4. How Will the Saints Divide Touches Between Etienne and Kamara?
The Saints did not give Travis Etienne Jr. a multiyear contract to make him a minor part of the offense.
Etienne rushed for 1,107 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025, according to his official Saints player profile. He brings speed, receiving ability and the capacity to handle a three-down workload.
Kamara, meanwhile, has agreed to a restructured contract that keeps him in New Orleans for his 10th season. His role is changing, but a reduced workload does not mean a meaningless one.
The most effective arrangement would allow Etienne to handle the heavier rushing volume while Moore deploys Kamara strategically in space. Kamara can still create mismatches against linebackers, align outside the backfield and become a valuable third-down weapon.
This should not be framed as Etienne versus Kamara. It should be about how Moore uses their complementary abilities without making the offense predictable based on which back enters the game.
5. Who Emerges as the Saints’ Third Running Back?
The competition behind Etienne and Kamara may become one of camp’s most physical battles.
Devin Neal showed developmental promise, while Kendre Miller is still fighting to prove that his combination of size and explosiveness can translate into consistent availability and production. The remaining backs will also have to establish value on special teams.
That final point will be decisive.
A third running back may receive only a handful of offensive touches during a normal game. If that player cannot protect on passing downs, cover kicks or contribute in the return game, carrying him on the active gameday roster becomes difficult.
The winner will probably be the player who combines dependable rushing with the widest overall role.
Saints Training Camp Pressure Meter
| Area | Pressure level | What must happen |
|---|---|---|
| Tyler Shough’s development | 10/10 | Prove the 2025 finish is sustainable |
| Offensive-line chemistry | 10/10 | Protect Shough and establish the run |
| Etienne-Kamara rotation | 8/10 | Define complementary roles |
| Defensive-line rotation | 9/10 | Create consistent pressure without blitzing |
| STAR defender competition | 9/10 | Replace Alontae Taylor’s versatility |
| Punter stability | 7/10 | End the revolving door at the position |
6. Can Jordyn Tyson Become an Elite WR2?
The Saints selected Jordyn Tyson with the eighth overall pick because the offense needed more than depth. It needed another potential difference-maker.
Chris Olave remains the established No. 1 receiver, but opposing defenses have been able to tilt coverage in his direction without consistently paying for it elsewhere. Tyson’s arrival could change those calculations.
His training-camp development should be measured in three areas: his ability to defeat press coverage, his timing with Shough and his consistency when the offense moves him around the formation.
Rookie receivers frequently face a significant learning curve. NFL coverages are more disguised, contact is more physical and route adjustments must happen instantly. Tyson does not need to master everything before Week 1, but the Saints need him to become dangerous enough that defenses cannot devote every coverage answer to Olave.
If that happens, New Orleans’ passing game could take a substantial step forward.
7. How Will Brandon Staley Rotate the Edge Rushers?
Cameron Jordan is preparing to make history in his 16th season with the Saints. The franchise’s official profile for Jordan notes that he will set a team record by playing a 16th season with the club.
Jordan’s return provides leadership, toughness and another experienced pass rusher, but the Saints should not ask him to carry the defensive front alone.
Staley can construct a deep rotation involving Jordan, Chase Young, Carl Granderson and former Raiders first-round pick Tyree Wilson. Each provides a different combination of power, length and edge-setting ability.
The objective is to keep the entire group fresh while creating favorable matchups. Jordan can move inside in selected passing situations. Young can attack the edge. Wilson’s length could become particularly disruptive on stunts and overloaded fronts.
The question is whether Staley can turn depth into sustained production rather than simply distributing snaps.
8. Who Wins the Interior Defensive-Line Jobs?
No position may feature more legitimate competition than defensive tackle.
Bryan Bresee possesses the athletic tools to become an impact interior pass rusher, but the Saints need greater consistency against the run. Davon Godchaux and Nathan Shepherd provide experience, while Vernon Broughton enters his second year with an opportunity to earn a larger role.
Then there is Christen Miller.
New Orleans selected the 6-foot-3, 321-pound Georgia defensive lineman with the 42nd overall pick. The Saints’ scouting profile highlights Miller’s combination of size, power and quickness.
Miller does not have to dominate immediately, but he could force his way into the rotation by anchoring against double teams and creating interior disruption.
Training camp will determine whether the Saints have merely accumulated depth or built a defensive front capable of controlling games.
9. Who Replaces Alontae Taylor at STAR?
The STAR position is one of the most demanding jobs in Staley’s defense.
That defender must cover slot receivers, support the run, blitz from multiple alignments and communicate through traffic. Replacing Alontae Taylor requires more than simply inserting another cornerback into the lineup.
Jonas Sanker should receive a serious opportunity. His physicality, instincts and versatility make him a natural candidate for the hybrid assignment. Julian Blackmon can also provide experience and flexibility as the Saints test different secondary combinations.
The deciding factor may be tackling.
Slot defenders regularly encounter running backs and receivers in space. One missed tackle can convert a short completion into an explosive play. Whoever earns the job must combine coverage ability with dependable open-field defense.
10. Can Ryan Wright Finally Stabilize the Punter Position?
Punter is rarely the headline attraction at training camp, but New Orleans cannot afford another season of instability.
The Saints used multiple inexperienced options last year and never established confidence at the position. That affected field position, coverage timing and the defense’s margin for error.
Ryan Wright arrives after four seasons in Minnesota. According to his Saints profile, Wright has a career gross average of 47.9 yards with 100 punts placed inside the 20-yard line.
His job is straightforward: provide consistency.
Wright must control distance without routinely outkicking the coverage, place the ball near the sideline and perform reliably when weather conditions become difficult. If he does those things, the Saints can finally stop treating punter as an unresolved weekly concern.
Film Room: What to Watch When Practice Begins
The highlight plays will attract attention, but the most revealing training-camp moments often happen away from the football.
Watch Shough’s feet when his first read is covered. Does he reset and progress calmly, or does pressure force him out of structure?
Watch the offensive line against twists and simulated pressure. One-on-one victories matter, but communication between blockers matters even more.
Watch Tyson at the line of scrimmage. His ability to release cleanly against physical cornerbacks will determine how quickly Moore can trust him in the full passing game.
Defensively, watch where Sanker aligns before the snap and where he finishes the play. If he is consistently around the football from multiple positions, the Saints may have found their new STAR.
Big Q’s Take
This is the most important Saints training camp in several years because New Orleans is no longer searching blindly for a direction.
The Saints believe they have their quarterback. They invested in the offensive line, added another explosive running back, drafted a potential No. 2 receiver and created one of the deepest defensive-front competitions on the roster.
Now those investments must fit together.
The biggest question remains Shough, but his success will depend heavily on the answers surrounding him. If the line protects, Tyson develops and Moore finds the right Etienne-Kamara balance, Shough will have every opportunity to confirm that last season was real.
Defensively, Staley has enough variety to become aggressive. He has edge depth, interior competition and several options for the STAR role. Training camp must reveal which combinations give the Saints their best chance to pressure quarterbacks without compromising coverage.
There are reasons for optimism—but optimism will not win the division. Execution will.
Why It Matters
The NFC South does not present an unbeatable obstacle. New Orleans does not need every young player to become a star immediately, but it needs its major offseason decisions to produce tangible improvement.
Shough must continue developing. The offensive line must protect him. Tyson must make defenses respect the opposite side of the formation. Staley’s defensive front must create more disruption, and the secondary must replace Taylor’s versatility.
If the Saints answer most of these questions positively, a worst-to-first rise is not unrealistic.
If the same protection problems and inconsistencies return, the late-2025 surge could prove difficult to reproduce.
Training camp will not provide every final answer, but it will show whether the Saints are genuinely prepared to take the next step.
Gee Bino is a senior writer and columnist for The Who Dat Daily, covering the New Orleans Saints, Pelicans, LSU athletics, and the Gulf South sports landscape. He specializes in roster construction, player development, salary cap strategy, and breaking news coverage. Follow The Who Dat Daily for daily news, analysis, and exclusive team coverage.
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