Ex-Saints Playmaker Open to Reunion After Super Bowl

The New Orleans Saints could use one more wide receiver and it sounds like former big-time piece of the offense is at least willing to consider a return.

New Orleans' offense looked good in the second half of the season with Tyler Shough under center. Chris Olave was electric, Devaughn Vele looked like a legit piece for the franchise and Juwan Johnson put up a quietly elite season. Johnson has gotten some flak, but the 29-year-old racked up 77 catches, 889 yards and three touchdowns. That's some serious production.

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One thing that made the offense's performance even more impressive in the second half is that it had success even after trading Rashid Shaheed away, who was the team's No. 2 receiver in the first half. Shaheed and Shough only overlapped for one game with the rookie quarterback starting. That game was on Nov. 2 against the Los Angeles Rams and he led the Saints with nine targets, five catches and 68 yards before getting traded to the Seattle Seahawks. Now, he's in the Super Bowl and will be a free agent afterward. In an interview with Ross Jackson of LouisianaSports.Net, he spoke highly of his time in New Orleans and noted that he'd be open to a reunion as well.

The Saints should welcome the WR back

Jan 25, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (22) makes a catch in the first half against the Los Angeles Rams in the 2026 NFC Championship Game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

"It meant everything to me,” Shaheed said to Jackson of his time in New Orleans. “The city truly embraced me from the jump. I love the city, I love the culture, I love the people. I want to go back as many times as I get the opportunity to. My time there was a dream, honestly. A kid coming from an FCS school to playing in the Dome, playing in the black and gold. So many memories. ...

"I’m so glad that I had enough of an impact that [Saints fans] want me to come back,” he said. “There’s no bad blood from either side. We both have a lot of love. So no, I’m not opposed to [a return] at all."

The Saints do need another playmaker this offseason and Shaheed was playing very well in Kellen Moore's system before his exit. If the Saints were to bring him back and have a receiver room of Olave, Shaheed and a bigger role for Vele, plus Johnson in the mix, that would be huge for Shough's development in year No. 2.

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