Marquez Callaway Struggled as a #1 Receiver, But Still Showed Glimpses of a Bright Future in New Orleans

Instability at quarterback and the absence of Michael Thomas crippled the New Orleans offense in 2021. Despite that, Marquez Callaway still displayed that he could be a strong complementary weapon.

Wide receiver Marquez Callaway was not selected in the 2020 NFL Draft despite a solid career at the University of Tennessee. After 92 catches for 1,646 yards and 13 touchdowns over his final three years with the Volunteers, the New Orleans Saints added him as an undrafted rookie.

Callaway showed promise during his rookie campaign. Despite missing five games with an ankle injury, he caught 21 of 27 targets for 213 and averaged over 11 yards per punt return.

Veteran WR Emmanuel Sanders was released last offseason and All-Pro WR Michael Thomas would start 2021 on injured reserve after ankle surgery. That meant Callaway and the other receivers would be thrust into a much larger role.

Saints 2021 Year-In-Review

Marquez Callaway

After a standout preseason, Callaway got off to a quiet start with one catch for 14 yards in a season-opening rout of Green Bay. He’d follow that up by catching 2 of 4 targets for just 8 yards during a Week 2 loss at Carolina.

Callaway made his first significant impact of the year in a Week 3 win at New England. He pulled in four of five targets for 41 yards, including a spectacular touchdown grab in traffic to end the first half. He'd flash his big play capabilities by catching 2 passes for 74 yards in the following week's loss to the Giants.

As word came out that Thomas would miss the entire season with his ankle injury, Callaway would be looked to as the Number 1 wideout in a struggling offense. He’d have his best performance of the first half of the year in a Week 5 win at Washington.

Callaway had 4 receptions for a game-high 85 yards and 2 scores against Washington. His first score came on a 49-yard Hail Mary to end the first half. The second was on a 12-yard touchdown in the third quarter that helped clinch a 33-22 victory.

New Orleans struggled offensively like no other time during now former head coach Sean Payton's 16-year tenure with the franchise. Those struggles got worse as injuries mounted on the offensive line and after a season-ending knee injury to QB Jameis Winston in Week 8.

As the top wideout, Callaway also took some of the brunt for the team's low output. He averaged less than 3 receptions and just 28 yards per outing in an eight-game stretch between Weeks 7 and 14. He caught three touchdowns over that span, but all were in failed comeback efforts as the Saints lost five straight games.

Callaway had the best outing of his career in a Week 15 upset of Tampa Bay. In the Saints 9-0 victory, Callaway accounted for more than half of his team's yardage by catching 6 passes for 112 yards. Amazingly, it was the only 100-yard outing by a New Orleans wideout all season.

Two weeks later, Callaway equaled his season-high in receptions when he pulled in six of ten targets for 97 yards in a win over Carolina. For the year, Callaway had 46 receptions for a team-high 698 yards and team-high 6 touchdowns.

The Saints passing attack finished dead last in the NFL, averaging a lowly 187 yards per game. A combination of having to use four different quarterbacks, a makeshift offensive line, and a lack of weapons at receiver were all major culprits.

New Orleans wideouts had only five games of over 80 yards in 2021. Callaway was responsible for three of them, including the team's only 100-yard outing.

Callaway, the Saints top wideout by default, pulled in only 54.8% of his team-high 84 targets. His 698 receiving yards were the lowest by a New Orleans team leader in that category since 1986. Even with the presumed return of Michael Thomas, it highlighted the need for a major upgrade at receiver this offseason.

Marquez Callaway still showed that he can be a capable NFL receiver and important contributor to the New Orleans attack.

Callaway runs sharp routes and has the body control to adjust to a poorly thrown ball. He also has terrific concentration in traffic. With great leaping ability at 6’2” and 204-Lbs., he also gives his quarterback a reliable target on contested throws.

The 24-year-old Callaway may have shown that he isn't a Number 1 wideout against an opponent's top corner. However, he also showed that he can be productive as a complementary weapon as the Saints rebuild their offensive attack.

Saints 2021 Year-In-Review

Marquez Callaway

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