Tyler Shough's Breakout Sparks Early Saints Free Agency Buzz

The New Orleans Saints had their most optimistic game of the season in Week 10 when they took on the Carolina Panthers.

That week in general was long. The trade deadline was at the beginning of the week and the Saints traded away Rashid Shaheed and Trevor Penning. The week was full of chatter about the guys being dealt away and others that could've -- or should've -- followed. There was a lot of doom-and-gloom chatter, but the Saints then responded with a 17-7 win over the Panthers led by a breakout performance from rookie quarterback Tyler Shough.

The rookie had 282 passing yards and two touchdowns. Chris Olave was the top pass-catcher with 104 yards on five catches and a touchdown. After a tough week, it was the exact type of performance that Shough and the team needed to have before a bye week.

The buzz around the organization has already started to shift from how to use a top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, to Shough potentially being the long-term fit. That's how quickly things change in the NFL. There's a different level of confidence if the quarterback is right. For example, Ross Jackson of LouisianaSports.Net wrote a column on the biggest needs for New Orleans, specifically if Shough is the guy. One of the guys that made sense was Dallas Cowboys receiver George Pickens.

"The Saints were prepared to go into the 2025 season with a smaller, fast wide receiver room," Jackson said. "But after trading wide receiver Rashid Shaheed to the Seattle Seahawks, the team now has a chance to reshape its wideouts. With Chris Olave and the team considering extension options, adding another weapon at receiver would be a good option to complement the offense.

Should the Saints look to add pieces this upcoming offseason?

Oct 19, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens (3) celebrates after a play as Washington Commanders safety Quan Martin (20) and cornerback Marshon Lattimore (2) look on during the second quarter of the game at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

"This time, though, the Saints should consider pursuing a bigger-bodied, physical wideout that can be a traditional split end, weakside option. They should consider this even if 6-foot-5 receiver Devaughn Vele pans out through his new opportunity to close out the season. Potential Options in Free Agency: WR George Pickens, WR Alec Pierce, WR Jauan Jennings."

With Shaheed out the door, it would make sense to go in this direction, especially if the team doesn't think it has a consistent contributor in Devaughn Vele.

The Saints aren't in the best place from a salary cap perspective. Right now, the Saints are projected to be over $12 million over the 2026 cap, per Over The Cap. Now, if Shough isn't the guy, it makes sense to get rid of the expensive veterans and start from scratch. If Shough is the guy, then that makes it much easier to stomach restructuring deals and other things of that nature to free up cap space and add around him.

Pickens is having the best year of his career over in Dallas. He has 764 yards, 49 catches, and six touchdowns in nine games. That puts him on pace for 1,443 receiving yards, 92 catches, and 11 touchdowns in 17 games.

With that being said, he's going to be expensive. Spotrac currently is projecting his market value to be just over $146 million across five seasons. For New Orleans to get to that number, or anything in the ballpark, there would need ot be some serious cap gymnastics, but if Shough is the guy, it could be worth it. An offense featuring Pickens and Olave would be dangerous. This shouldn't be considered likely at this moment, but everything hinges on Shough. If he's the guy, then it makes sense to stretch a bit to make sure he has what he needs around him.

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