Saints: The underrated WR that has connections to Jameis Winston

The New Orleans Saints have plenty of wide receiver options to claim off waivers after teams finalized their rosters Tuesday afternoon. Of them all, a lonely Lion could lead the pack.

Breshad Perriman was recently released from the Detroit Lions after failing to make the roster for one of the worst receiving corps in the NFL.

So why should New Orleans even give him a single look?

Winston. Tampa Bay. 645 yards.

When Perriman was paired with Jameis Winston on the Bucs in 2019, he recorded a career-best 645 receiving yards with six touchdowns on 36 catches and 69 targets. He was the third-most targeted receiver in Tampa, behind only Chris Godwin and Mike Evans, and averaged 17.9 yards per catch.

Perriman last played for the Jets in 2020 when he hauled in three touchdowns and 505 receiving yards in 12 games.

Of all the strengths a wide receiver can possess – speed, agility, route-running ability, good hands – the most important for the Saints this season is chemistry.

We already saw sparks of it when Winston found Marquez Callaway for two touchdown beauties in the preseason game against Jacksonville. With Winston named the starting quarterback in 2021, Perriman provides the best current wide receiver value for the Saints based on his history with the ex-Buccaneer.

His history with Detroit, on the other hand, should be quickly forgotten. Perriman was released just five months after signing a one-year, $2.5 million deal with the Lions in March.

New Orleans Saints: Breshad Perriman had undeniable chemistry with Jameis Winston in Tampa

Detroit expected great things from the 27-year-old wideout, but after Perriman missed time in training camp due to injury and had several ugly drops in preseason, the Lions changed their mind. They would rather pay over two million in guaranteed money than keep Perriman – that’s how much they didn’t want him.

One team’s loss is another’s gain, and while recent circumstances don’t paint Perriman as an elite No. 1 target to rival Callaway or Michael Thomas, his connection with Winston is worth betting on.

And remember when we said chemistry was the most important thing? It certainly helps that Perriman is pretty darn fast, too. He ran a 4.19 second 40-yard dash at his pro day six years ago, breaking Bengals wide receiver John Ross’ combine record (4.22 seconds).

He has the connection with Winston. He has the speed. He doesn’t quite have the steady hands, and his drops in the Lions’ preseason finale should naturally be an area of concern.

Even though Perriman ultimately lost the favor of Detroit coaches, he clearly did something in the offseason to convince them to give him a guaranteed two million in the first place.

Sure, the Saints could run the numbers to find the most efficient wide receiver on the waiver wire. But chemistry isn’t something you can accurately measure.

If Perriman was that prolific of a receiver with Winston during his tenure on the Bucs, chances are the electric connection is still there. This duo could be deadlier than anyone ever expected.