New Orleans Saints WR depth chart ahead of 2022 NFL Draft

Tre'Quan Smith, Lil'Jordan Humphrey, New Orleans Saints (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
Tre'Quan Smith, Lil'Jordan Humphrey, New Orleans Saints (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /
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Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints
Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /

WR Starters: Michael Thomas, Marquez Callaway, Tre’Quan Smith

This should hopefully change once the draft is in the books, as New Orleans cannot pass on adding a wide receiver in the early rounds. As of now, however, we’re probably looking at a starting trio of Michael Thomas, Marquez Callaway, and Tre’Quan Smith, which is… not ideal.

Thomas hasn’t been healthy since the 2019 season and while yes, he won Offensive Player of the Year that year, a lot has changed since then. Thomas needs to stay healthy and that’s not a guarantee at this point.

Callaway had an unfair amount of expectations placed on his shoulders last summer when it was revealed that Thomas wouldn’t be available for the first few months of the season. The UDFA out of Tennessee impressed during the preseason and finished with respectable numbers but he didn’t play like a WR1 and that’s because he’s not a WR1, and that’s okay.

Smith entered a contract year in 2021 but failed to live up to any kind of hype. As a result, New Orleans was able to re-sign him for cheap so he’s back in the Big Easy once again as the likely starting slot receiver.

If the Saints add a wide receiver in the first or second round of the draft, one of these guys is going to be demoted to backup duty with that likely being Callaway or Smith.