Ex-Bears Wideout Could Become Saints’ WR4: ‘Route-Running Is Outstanding’

Who will be the New Orleans Saints' fourth option at wide receiver?

Chris Olave, Brandin Cooks, and Rashid Shaheed are shoe-ins for the top three targets (at least to start the season), but there'll be real competition for WR4.

Among the contenders is a veteran wideout whose journey through the National Football League has been marked by flashes of brilliance on one hand and untapped potential on the other.

Selected in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers, this 6-foot-1, 195-pound receiver from the University of Washington showed early promise, recording 27 receptions for 467 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie.

His college career was stellar, earning consensus All-America honors in 2017 and setting an NCAA record for career punt return touchdowns. However, injuries and a crowded depth chart in San Francisco limited his growth, leading to stints with the New York Giants and Chicago Bears before landing in New Orleans.

In 2024, he joined the Saints’ practice squad in October, later earning a spot on the active roster. Over eight games, he caught 12 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown, while also contributing as a punt returner with a notable 53-yard return.

Ross Jackson of LouisianaSports.Net recently discussed this receiver's potential to make an impact in Kellen Moore's offense.

“When it comes to Dante Pettis, he's just one of the other guys (beyond Olave, Cooks, Shaheed) that has stood out the most," Jackson said during an episode of the Locked On Saints podcast.

"His route-running is outstanding. It's actually ridiculous, honestly … he's one of the best route-runners I've gotten to watch, and people don't think about him that way. He came out of Washington early years ago and then never really fully came to life over in San Francisco, and then kind of bounced around, showed up here in New Orleans, and had a touchdown last year. But it's been (about) what his chemistry building has been with Spencer Rattler as well as Tyler Shough … The quarterbacks trust him, they know where he's gonna be, how he's gonna get there, and how quickly he'll get there on the field. All of that's really important when your offense is timing-based like Kellen Moore’s is gonna be in the passing game, and so I think a guy like Dante Pettis has real value in that scheme.”

Undoubtedly, Pettis will face depth chart competition from players like Cedrick Wilson Jr. and Bub Means, but Pettis's reported chemistry with Shough and Rattler is interesting to hear about.

New Orleans' wide receiver depth has a lot more talent than most people realize.

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