Uncover draft targets and bold trade hypotheticals. Discover how the Saints can build a dynamic offense and solidify their roster for quarterback success.
TJ Jones uses this State of the Saints episode as a big-picture offseason check-in, mixing draft talk with roster-building philosophy and a few trade-style hypotheticals that hint at how aggressive New Orleans could be over the next few months.
It starts with TJ leaning into the fun part of this time of year — digging into prospects, talking to college players, and hunting for those “why is nobody talking about this guy?” types. From there, he makes his headline case for the Saints’ first-round direction: Jeremiah Love as the kind of dynamic running back who can change the offense’s texture immediately. TJ frames it less as “draft a RB because you need one” and more as “add a true creator” who forces defenses to respect the run, opens up the passing game, and gives the Saints a reliable playmaking engine. He even puts Love in the conversation stylistically with modern do-everything backs, selling the idea that a premium RB can be worth it if the player is special.
Free agency comes next, with TJ projecting the Saints to be active and tying that confidence to the Tyler Shuck factor. The idea is simple: if the Saints believe they’ve found something at quarterback, that changes how veterans view New Orleans, and it changes how the front office should spend. Protection becomes the priority — TJ repeatedly circles back to adding offensive linemen so Shuck isn’t set up to fail and the run game can actually complement him.
He’s optimistic about Shuck long-term, but not blindly. TJ notes that after a strong rookie year, the league will adjust, so the next step is about Shuck adapting right back and expanding his answers.
Then he hits a splashy “what if”: trade speculation for Keon Coleman. TJ likes the skill set as a big-bodied target, but he’s clear that Coleman alone doesn’t solve the receiver room — the Saints would still need a true top option or another major addition.
To close, TJ narrows it to roster “must-fixes”: interior OL and interior DL. That’s where he wants free agency and/or the early draft to hit. He also flags Caesar Ruiz as a name to watch, suggesting the Saints could explore trade value if the team decides a reset (and new competition) is needed inside.