A potential future playmaker for New Orleans
The New Orleans Saints had their fair share of selections in the 2026 NFL Draft, and many of them were on offense. With the Saints having a goal of building around QB Tyler Shough and figuring out if he can be a franchise signal caller, giving him the best opportunity to prove that in 2026 is a must. That is why the Saints invested so much in offense, especially at the WR position.
Last season, the WR group for New Orleans was decimated. Chris Olave was WR1 and stayed healthy for almost the entire season, but behind him, it was an issue. Rashid Shaheed and Brandin Cooks were quickly off the team, Devaugn Vele dealt with injuries, and the rest of the depth was nowhere near good enough. It put Shough is a tough position to really lead this team, but he got it done. That should not mean they can rely on Shough to do it again, which is why the Saints drafted Jordyn Tyson, Bryce Lance, and Barion Brown. Tyson and Lance are two players who are going to see the field on offense right away, and Lance may even push Vele a bit for WR3, but Brown is a different story.
When the pick was made to bring Brown to New Orleans, it was clear this was a special-teams move. He was one of the best kick returners in college football, and the Saints had major kick/punt return woes in 2025. But when asked about the special-teams aspect of bringing Brown in, HC Kellen Moore also noted that the young WR can make a significant impact on offense. This was interesting because of where the current room is. Assuming the Siants go into 2026 with 6 WRs on the roster, the group may look like (in order): Olave, Tyson, Vele, Lance, Ja'lynn Polk, and Brown. There's a very good chance Brown is at the bottom of the totem pole, but that may not stop him from making plays on offense.
Looking at the entire WR group that I listed, Brown brings something very different. He is an ultimate speed gadget guy that Moore can utilize at any point, and his after-the-catch ability is something the Saints were sorely missing last season. Also, given Olave, Tyson, and Vele's injury histories, it is safe to assume that at least one of the three will miss a game in 2026. Brown could be elevated to the offense if that happens.
In the long run, Brown may also be the team's WR4. Vele has two more years on his contract and is 28. His time with the Saints may not last longer than that, and there is no reason to assume Polk will be a staple of the offense. So, that would create a future group of Olave, Tyson, Lance, and Brown as the top 4 WRs.