Is New Orleans Saints’ Tre’Quan Smith finally having a breakout season?

The New Orleans Saints have been a factory when it comes to producing receiving talent; is former third-round pick Tre’Quan Smith next in line?

The 2018 NFL Draft will always be known by Saints fan as the time where the team traded two first-round picks for edge rusher Marcus Davenport. However, could Tre’Quan Smith end up being the defining piece in that draft?

When New Orleans selected Smith out of UCF at the back end of the third round, they did so hoping he could emerge as a complementary option to Michael Thomas. The flashes of excellence were certainly there in his rookie season, as he started seven games and averaged 15.1 yards/reception.

Unfortunately, he was not able to build on that success in his second season; his Pro Football Focus (premium content) receiving grade regressed (67.7 to 63.3) and he dealt with injuries. Thus, even after signing Emmanuel Sanders, the Saints remained interested in several receivers in the draft.

Instead, the front office opted to stick with their selection, and after receivers Jalen Reagor, CeeDee Lamb, and Justin Jefferson were drafted right before them, they replaced Larry Warford on the interior offensive line with Cesar Ruiz.

Thus, they needed a third receiver for 11-personnel sets, which kept the door open for Smith.

The need for production for Smith has only escalated following the injuries to Thomas and tight end Jared Cook, and he has delivered.

After totaling 54 yards and two touchdowns through the air, the 24-year-old is now averaging 46.5 receiving yards per game over the first four weeks of the season, a respectable amount for someone who still isn’t the top option in the passing game.

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Generally, most of his production is done in the short passing game, so although he doesn’t fill the role as a vertical threat, he’s a great fit in an offense that requires efficiency in the short passing game; his physicality meshes well with the role he is asked to play for them.

In a way, Smith has essentially served in Thomas’ spot.

He has split his snaps between the slot and on the outside, and has been a reliable option for Drew Brees when they need to move the chains. Thomas will be back next week, though, and Cook should soon follow.

With that in mind, what will Smith’s role in the offense be moving forward?

Ideally, it should not change much. Emmanuel Sanders seems to be their preferred option in the deep passing game, and in the past, head coach Sean Payton prefers to have an offense with defined roles.

Think of Thomas as Marques Colston, the do-it-all receiver, while Sanders is the deep threat. That leaves Smith as the “Willie Snead” prototype; a flexible offensive weapon who can help take some of the attention away from Thomas in the short passing game.

Given that Brees isn’t taking many shots down the field right now, that is a role that has only grown in significance, and Smith has proven that he is capable of producing in it.

What does this mean for Smith’s long-term outlook with the organization?

Right now, the front office is looking at having negative $78 million in cap space next season, per Over the Cap, and that is before accounting for any potential reductions to the salary cap due to teams taking in less revenue currently.

Thus, it is likely that Sanders is cut in order to save $8 million in cap space, which will place a lot of pressure on Smith and Deonte Harris; they aren’t going to have the resources to add receivers in free agency.

Harris is not a polished receiver, yet he could be an effective complementary deep threat, which would allow Smith to not have to change his defined role.

However, without Sanders, Smith would jump to No. 2 in terms of the wide receiver pecking order, and that means an increased amount of targets for whomever the team starts at quarterback next season.

Tre’Quan Smith has shown the ability to serve as a No. 2 option in the passing game, and although he won’t have to be that for the Saints this season, it is likely that he will have to next year. That will be a contract year for him, and if all goes well, it could line him up to be compensated in free agency.

Head coach Sean Payton has a history of churning out productive receivers and letting them leave in free agency, and although he didn’t burst onto the scene as quickly as others, I’m betting on Smith keeping the chain going.

In three years, we’ll probably talking about the next successful complementary option in Payton’s offense.

But until then, it’s imperative that we acknowledge the progression that Smith has shown this season; these past three games without Thomas have given us a glimpse into what the 2021 Saints’ receiving corps will look like next season.