The Saints Are Building Their Next Core: What Tyler Shough, Chris Olave, and Cam Jordan Tell Us About 2026

The Saints are telling us exactly what they think about their roster. Most people just aren't listening.

Everyone wants to talk about Tyler Shough, Chris Olave, and Alvin Kamara.. Everyone wants to know whether Cam Jordan is coming back.

The problem is those aren't separate stories. They're the same story.

The Saints are in the middle of replacing the core that has defined football in New Orleans for the better part of the last decade. Tyler Shough is being asked to become the face of the franchise. Danny Stutsman is being groomed to replace Demario Davis. Jonas Sanker is taking over a role previously occupied by Alontae Taylor. Jordan Tyson isn't simply competing with Chris Olave for targets—he's insurance. And Cam Jordan is confronting the same reality every great player eventually faces: the organization has to start preparing for what comes after him.

That's the story of this offseason.

Not one player. Not one position. An entire organizational transition.

The Saints Are Betting on Tyler Shough's Unique Profile

Back in January, Mickey Loomis sat down with Todd McShay for one of the more revealing interviews we've gotten from the Saints' general manager in years. Looking back, it almost feels like a blueprint for how the Saints would approach the offseason.

One of the more interesting questions McShay asked involved what successful organizations typically do after they find their quarterback. His observation was simple: most teams immediately turn their attention to the defense. There's a reason for that. Neutral game scripts are a young quarterback's best friend. Playing tied or down three is a lot easier than playing down 14, and good defense allows a quarterback to stay patient rather than feeling like every drive has to end in points.

Loomis described a different philosophy. The offensive line came first. The running game came second. The defense came third.

In Loomis' mind, offensive linemen are the engine of the football team. They're the culture drivers. The Saints followed that philosophy by bringing back David Edwards and continuing to invest in the offensive infrastructure around Tyler Shough.

Here's where things get interesting.

The Saints aren't treating Shough like a typical second-year quarterback because Shough isn't a typical second-year quarterback. What makes his profile unique isn't arm strength or athleticism. It's age and maturity.

Most quarterbacks entering Year 2 are still figuring out how to be professionals. They're learning how to study, prepare, lead a locker room, and handle the expectations that come with being the face of a franchise. Shough enters Year 2 from a very different starting point.

By the time he reached the NFL, he had already experienced multiple coaching staffs, multiple offensive systems, injuries, setbacks, competition, and the reality of repeatedly having to earn opportunities. His path wasn't linear, but it may have prepared him better for the pressures that come with leading an NFL team.

That's the bet the Saints are making.

They aren't building around a young quarterback. They're building around a mature quarterback. They're betting that a 26-year-old handles responsibility differently than a 22-year-old.

The problem is they only followed two-thirds of the blueprint.

The offensive line got attention. The running game got attention. The defense largely stayed where it was. That's where I start to get nervous.

Nobody in this organization has more pressure on them than Tyler Shough and Kellen Moore. Last season, even after Shough took over, the Saints struggled in the red zone and weren't particularly good offensively in the first half of games. The defense was often what kept them competitive.

Now that same defense appears likely to regress while nearly all of the organization's hopes are tied to offensive growth. That's a dangerous place to be.

A quarterback's second season is supposed to reduce pressure. Instead, Shough enters 2026 with more responsibility than ever. The Saints clearly believe his maturity allows him to carry that burden.

We're about to find out if they're right.

Chris Olave's Situation Is Bigger Than Blood Clots

The headline is the blood-clot situation. The larger story is the injury history.

Those are two very different conversations, but they're becoming increasingly difficult to separate.

Right now, Chris Olave remains limited because of the lingering effects of the blood-clot issue that surfaced earlier this offseason. Back in January, the expectation was that he'd be ready for full football activities within roughly three months. That timeline has come and gone, and the Saints continue to proceed cautiously.

And they should.

Blood clots aren't something teams rush. At this point, the issue is less about panic and more about patience. The Saints have every reason to prioritize Olave's long-term health over June practice reps.

But I don't think the Saints are evaluating the blood-clot situation in isolation. I think they're evaluating the entire picture.

Olave has five documented concussions dating back to Ohio State. He has a back issue that has required maintenance. Now add the blood-clot situation to the file. Individually, none of those issues would stop a contract extension.

Collectively, they become harder to ignore.

That's especially true when nearly every meaningful receiver from Olave's draft class has already received a second contract while Olave remains in limbo.

If a clean extension was inevitable, it probably would have happened already. Maybe the Saints want complete clarity on the blood-clot situation. Maybe they're looking at the entirety of his injury history before making a long-term commitment.

Either way, the delay feels significant.

That brings me to Jordan Tyson.

The Saints have two high-end sports cars with mechanical concerns in Tyson and Chris Olave. Both are still on their rookie deals but the difference is one is a holdover from a previous regime and approaching a major pay day, while the other was drafted by Moore.

Tyson isn't simply a compliment to Olave. He's insurance.

The Saints now have four receivers on rookie contracts, all of whom have received the green light from Kellen Moore's staff. NFL teams don't wait until they have a problem before planning for one.

The blood clots are the current story. The bigger story is whether the Saints are certain Chris Olave can be one of the foundational pieces of their next core.

OTA News Shows Where The Saints Are Headed

If you want to know where the Saints are going, watch where the snaps are going. That's usually the first clue.

Two names continue to stand out: Jonas Sanker and Danny Stutsman.

Sanker has been working at the Star position in Brandon Staley's defense, effectively replacing the role previously occupied by Alontae Taylor, and I love the fit.

I've written before that the NFL is trending bigger in the slot. The days of tiny jitterbug receivers dominating the middle of the field are fading. Teams are putting legitimate size inside—receivers over 200 pounds, players over six feet tall, and even tight ends masquerading as slot receivers.

That's why Sanker's safety background matters.

His size matters. His physicality matters. More importantly, moving him closer to the line of scrimmage maximizes his strengths.

There were several plays during pre-season where his downhill trigger and block-destruction ability jumped off the screen. Playing deep safety often minimized those traits. Playing Star emphasizes them. The Saints may have found a way to unlock more of his game while simultaneously adapting to where the NFL is headed.

The linebacker situation may be even more interesting.

Pete Werner and Danny Stutsman appear headed toward a battle for the Mike linebacker position as the Saints prepare for life after Demario Davis. Werner reminds me a lot of Scott Shanle—dependable, available, solid, and rarely spectacular.

But the Mike linebacker position demands a certain level of physicality.

Taking on blocks. Filling interior gaps. Keeping the structure of the defense intact.

Werner has spent much of his career at Will linebacker for a reason. Stutsman, meanwhile, has shown an ability to take on offensive linemen, disengage, and finish tackles. As 2025 progressed, he looked increasingly comfortable doing exactly what the Mike linebacker position requires.

Experience favors Werner. The skill set favors Stutsman.

My guess is Stutsman eventually wins the job.

That would allow Kaden Ellis to settle into the Will linebacker role full time, where his versatility becomes a weapon. Coverage, blitzing, pressure packages—all the things that made him successful in Atlanta.

I also expect the Saints' pressure packages to evolve. Historically, Brandon Staley's defenses become more aggressive in Year 2 once players fully understand the system. If that trend continues, Ellis may end up being one of the most impactful additions of the offseason.

The final piece of this puzzle is Cam Jordan.

Kellen Moore recently shed a little more light on the situation, but nothing has really changed. The offer remains on the table. The role remains on the table. The decision belongs to Cam.

What has changed is where Jordan sits in the hierarchy.

Much like Alvin Kamara, he probably isn't guaranteed extensive first-team reps during training camp anymore. Those reps belong to cornerstone players and developing talent. The Saints need to see what they have in their young edge rushers.

Personally, I think Jordan's best move is patience. Enjoy the family. Let the young guys develop. Let training camp play out.

Then return knowing exactly what your role is.

Third-down pass rusher. Veteran leader. Closer.

The Saints aren't trying to replace Cam Jordan's legacy. They're trying to survive the day he isn't here anymore.

That's ultimately what this entire offseason has been about.

The Saints aren't simply building a roster. They're building their next core.

Tyler Shough. Jordan Tyson. Jonas Sanker. Danny Stutsman. Those are the players they're betting on.

The question now is whether those bets pay off.