A forgotten receiver's potential and a dynamic trio could transform the Saints' offense, making them a true NFC South contender.
The New Orleans Saints (6-11) ended the season a team that looked on the cusp of playoff contention. The end of the year finish has some wondering just how close the team is to winning the NFC South next season.
The Saints finished last in the NFC South, but in fairness only landed two games behind the 8-9 division winners in the Carolina Panthers. Both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons just missed the playoffs with 8-9 records of their own.
In a division so close, one player can make a demonstrable impact on a team's final division standing. One Saints writer suggests, the team might be one player away.
Patrick McAvoy of "New Orleans Saints on SI" shared the following thoughts on one receiver that could change the course of the franchise's 2026 season. McAvoy discussed the "forgotten player."
"If the Saints could enter the 2026 season with a receiver room led by Olave, Vele, and Samuel, that'd be a high-powered trio. The franchise also has another guy with upside already with the franchise in Ja'Lynn Polk. If you forgot about him, that's understandable. The Saints acquired him from the New England Patriots and he didn't play in a game for the franchise throughout the 2025 season as he rehabbed. He's with the team, though. Shough posted a photo of the two fishing earlier in the week. ...
In his final season in college in 2023, he had 1,159 yards on 69 catches to go along with nine touchdowns. That's 16.8 yards per catch. If the Saints could add another intermediate receiver, like Samuel. They could be all set. Have Olave run all over the place, Samuel -- or another addition -- as a safety blanket, Vele in the middle of the field, and Polk outside. That sounds like an offense with upside."
Polk is a big, strong and athletic receiver that New Orleans would certainly welcome opposite star receiver Chris Olave. Certainly, his skill set compliments Olave, the burner from the Ohio State Buckeyes. Having two dependable receivers to lean on with the game on the line would open up plenty for Saints quarterback Tyler Shough after an impressive rookie campaign.
There are still ways in which the Saints can improve elsewhere. Though the team does not have a ton of glaring weaknesses, they equally lack a high volume of players that would start everywhere. Even so, look for receiver to be what could take the team to another level.