Saints’ biggest need to address in 2026 NFL Draft after failing to find it in free agency

The New Orleans Saints have operated all offseason under one goal, building the offense around quarterback Tyler Shough. After an impressive rookie debut, the Saints believe he is the answer to move their franchise forward.

New Orleans’ biggest splash came in the form of new running back Travis Etienne. His addition has made Alvin Kamara’s future murky, but the Saints are confident he’ll bolter their offense. The same goes for new left guard David Edwards. He gives the Saints some needed experience up front in between rising tackles Taliese Fuaga and Kelvin Banks Jr.

The franchise also has a few returning playmakers to work with in wide receiver Chris Olave and tight end Juwan Johnson. However, it is clear Shough needs more talent to throw to.

Especially in the wide receiver department, the Saints are a bit barren behind Olave. As it stands, Devaughn Vele and Mason Tipton are their best options. New Orleans must continue their trend of building around Shough and find a running mate for Olave.

Luckily for the Saints, the 2026 NFL Draft is ripe with receiving talent. Holding the No. 8 overall pick, New Orleans is in a prime position to add one of the classes’ top pass catchers to their offense.

Saints must draft wide receiver in first round

The emergence of Shough helped Olave get his career back on track. He set new career-highs across the board with 100 receptions for 1,163 yards and nine touchdowns. Perhaps a full offseason of Shough as QB1 could do the same for Vele and Tipton. But based on their pedigrees compared to Olave, that’ll be a much more difficult task.

Vele caught 25 passes for 293 yards and two touchdowns in his first year with the Saints. Tipton added 11 grabs for 76 scoreless yards. Both receivers are still young and they’re likely to continue developing under head coach Kellen Moore’s system. However, New Orleans needs some instant offense. Targeting a receiver in the first-round would be the best way to acquire long-term success at the position.

Five wide receivers are in the top 25 on ESPN’s big board. Three are in the top 13. And Carnell Tate, who comes in as the highest rated receiver on the board at No. 11 overall, was projected to go to the Saints at No. 8 in Mel Kiper of ESPN’s latest mock draft.

With a national championship, 121 receptions, 1,872 yards and 14 touchdowns under his belt, Tate would be a strong addition in New Orleans. His playmaking ability would match up well with Olave and would overall raise the ceiling of the Saints’ offense.

If you went through the list, players like Jordyn Tyson and Makai Lemon make plenty of sense as well. The exact name on the card will come down to how the board falls and New Orleans’ preferences. But the point is, the Saints must add talent at the wide receiver position.

Even after his strong debut, Shough has plenty to prove as QB1. But surrounding him with as much talent at possible at least gives him a fair chance at success. The easiest way to do that for New Orleans is adding their next star receiver at No. 8 in the 2026 NFL Draft.

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