"Make or Break" Season for Saints WR Tre'Quan Smith
Tre’quan Smith’s name will forever be engraved in NFL History... In 2018, Smith caught a 62-yard touchdown pass from Drew Brees on Monday Night Football against Washington. The big play touchdown gave the Saints a 27-6 lead in the ballgame and made Drew Brees the NFL’s All-Time Leading Passer.
Nothing outside of a Super Bowl title may ever top that moment in the career of Saints wide-out Tre’quan Smith. In his first two seasons in the NFL, Smith has struggled to find his way. The 2018 3rd round selection out of UCF has shined for the Saints as a big play threat putting together two 100 yard performances as a rookie and finding the end-zone five times in each of his first two seasons. Nonetheless, with every big game or moment that Smith Provided there are stretches where he disappears.
In 2019, Smith battled injuries throughout the year and failed to surpass 60 yards receiving in any of the 11 games that he appeared in. With the nagging injuries and the emergence of Taysom Hill as a pass catcher, Smith seemed like the odd man out in the wide receiving corps in his sophomore campaign. However, Smith saved his best of last in 2019 scoring in three of the final four regular season games and stringing together his best performance of 2019 in the regular season finale at Carolina (5 Rec for 56 Yards, 1 TD).
As, the 2020 NFL Draft around the corner the rumblings of New Orleans targeting a receiver in the first round have died down but with the state of the current depth chart selecting a wide-out would not be out of the question for Sean Payton and Mickey Loomis. With a potential draft pick in the receivers room and the addition of Emmanuel Sanders in the offseason, Smith heads into 2020 with a lot to prove. Once viewed as Ted Ginn Jr.’s replacement, the former UCF product has displayed blistering speed and the ability to make big plays across the middle of the field. The question for Smith headed into 2020 is “Can he be a reliable throughout an entire season for New Orleans”?
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The Saints could use Smith to “take the top off” and create underneath routes for Tight End Jared Cook and All-Pro Receiver Michael Thomas. Although, Smith and Sanders could make a terrific tandem of big play threats for Drew Brees. Smith has an enormous opportunity waiting over the next few months to solidify himself as a major piece of a Super Bowl or bust campaign. New Orleans expects him to be the #3 Wide-out heading into Training Camp this Summer.
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