Tyler Shough Changed Saints' Perception With 1 Big Start

Tyler Shough has made just two starts in the NFL, but he has already give fans around the New Orleans Saints some hope.

That's not in reference to making the playoffs this year, but more so about the future of the franchise. It's a small sample size to really move the needle, but he looked good enough against the Carolina Panthers last weekend to make people think in terms of "What if he is the guy?" rather than "Who can the Saints draft next?"

With the season spiraling out of control, watching Shough throughout the rest of the season is integral to this discussion. If he's the guy, then the Saints can fully build around him and use a high draft pick for a weapon or even trade down for multiple picks to try to add as much talent around the team as possible.

It's been a gloomy season, but this past week since the Week 10 matchup has been the most positive around the team all season. For example, Ross Jackson of LouisianaSports.Net wrote up a story pinpointing pieces to try to add this offseason if the Saints were to be content with Shough. One old friend was mentioned, although a reunion doesn't seem very likely.

"Another Explosive Pass Rusher," Jackson said. "While the return of defensive end Chase Young has been beneficial for New Orleans, the team still has some question marks at the position. Pass rusher Carl Granderson tends to start seasons strong and finish them with a bang, but has shown a consistent dip in production in the middle of seasons throughout his career, and the future of veteran leader Cameron Jordan is uncertain.

It would be somewhat surprising to see a massive addition

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) is double-teamed by Green Bay Packers center Elgton Jenkins (74) and guard Aaron Banks (65) during the second quarter of their game Sunday, October 12, 2025 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Looking for another edge rusher that will force opposing offensive coordinators to gameplan for them would be a huge benefit for the Saints. Strengthening their defense should be one of the club’s top priorities this offseason. For Staley’s scheme, finding a pass rusher with some versatility could be a major benefit. Potential Options in Free Agency: DE Trey Hendrickson, DE Boye Mafe, DE Jaelen Phillips."

Saints fans are specifically familiar with Hendrickson as he spent the first four seasons of his NFL career as a member of the franchise. There's no denying that adding a top-10 defensive player to the franchise would help. That's obvious.

Spotrac is currently projecting his market value to be just over $132 million across four years. Making that type of deal -- or something like it -- would be extremely difficult unless the Saints could find a way to get a lot of money off the books.

This conversation is more of a way to show how the perception of the team has changed after one game. Shough played well enough that the conversation has now shifted to ways the team can improve in the offseason, rather than all of the rebuild talk of the first half of the season.

With the way the Saints' financial situation currently looks on paper, signing someone like Hendrickson seems very unlikely, even if Shough is the right guy to have as the team's quarterback. But, the vibe is shifting around the Saints. If Shough can string together a few more good performances, there's a real chance that when the season comes to an end and we look to 2026, it's going to be with optimism about a way to contend in the division, rather than tearing it all down and rebuilding.

More NFL: Tyler Shough's Breakout Sparks Early Saints Free Agency Buzz