3 Important Storylines Before Saints-Panthers Showdown

The New Orleans Saints traded away two pieces of the offense ahead of the trade deadline and now need to figure out how to chart a path forward for the rest of the regular season.

New Orleans is 1-8 on the season and has one more game before a much-needed bye week. The Saints will face off against the Carolina Panthers on the road before a Week 11 bye week. Most of the chatter of the week for New Orleans has been about the deadline and a lack of moves. But, there's more to think about heading into the Panthers game.

There's still a lot to watch with the Saints after the trade deadline

Nov 2, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) stands in the pocket against the Los Angeles Rams during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Tyler Shough's progression
The biggest story now and for the rest of the season will be how Shough responds with each passing week as a starter in the NFL. Last week, Shough made his first career start and went 15-for-24 passing for 176 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Shough wasn't the reason why the Saints lost against the Los Angeles Rams and it wasn't a bad debut as a starter by any means, but the Saints will be watching him closely to see if he is the answer for the future in New Orleans.

Replacing Rashid Shaheed
There is an easy solution: Devaughn Vele. The Saints acquired him from the Denver Broncos, but haven't utilized him. He has just five catches for 39 yards. But, the Saints gave away important draft capital to bring him to town, so he should be the shoe-in for Shaheed's targets, or at least some of them. If the Saints don't give Vele a shot now, that's a bad look.

Road to the No. 1 pick
We're past the midway point in the 2025 NFL season. If the campaign were to end today, the Saints would have the No. 1 pick. From here on out, each game matters for draft placement. This point also connects back to the first one about Shough. If the Saints don't feel like they have the quarterback of the future, that will make the draft placement all the more important.

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