The New Orleans Saints will be without first-round wide receiver Jordyn Tyson to start the season due to a hamstring injury. As a result, veteran Devaughn Vele will see an increased workload and has a massive opportunity. He must establish himself as a consistent option for Tyler Shough and replace Tyson’s projected production.
Tyson and Vele aren’t the same archetype of receiver. But that doesn’t matter whatsoever. The Saints already have enough speed and route-running on their roster; all they need is someone reliable who can gain yards and be a complement to Chris Olave. Because of this, Vele’s the obvious option to replace Tyson as the secondary receiver.
The Saints clearly believe Vele’s capable of being an impactful contributor. They wouldn’t have traded a fourth-round pick for him last offseason if they didn’t. Additionally, he’s been impressive during training camp and has shown a strong connection with Shough.
DeVaughn Vele must carry his momentum from 2025 to replace Jordyn Tyson’s production.
Vele ended the season well, tallying 239 of his 293 yards from weeks 12-15 before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury after. A major reason for this breakout was his chemistry with Tyler Shough, which will continue this year, if not grow greater. The two clicked, and Vele was consistently the middle of the field, contested catch threat that Shough needed.
The biggest issues with Vele in 2025 were his inconsistent usage and inability to establish himself in the offense. Both of these should be solved, and he’s expected to contribute immediately.
This is imperative to the Saints’ offensive success as they are losing significant projected production for Jordyn Tyson. Chris Olave will pick up some, along with other depth receivers, but Vele is poised to make the biggest jump.
It is only expected to be about a month of games that Tyson will miss, but there's a couple of things to remember. His return timetable is an estimation. The Saints were patient with bringing the rookie along in the offseason.
There may be a greater sense of urgency because the season is ongoing, but the Saints still won't be reckless. Tyson could easily miss 6 games, which would be a third of the season. That's a lot of time for Vele to make an impact.
The other part of it is hamstrings can be pesky. We've already seen Tyson miss time then come back and get hurt again. There's a real chance that this isn't his only time missed during the season.
Whether it's continuous or broken into sections, Vele will be the next guy New Orleans turns to when Tyson goes down. That doesn't even include the important role Vele plays when everyone's healthy.
Tyson’s injury won’t suddenly make Vele a superstar or a consistent 100-yard receiver. However, he must solidify himself as a worthy second receiver and be a reliable contributor for the Saints’ offense. His performance will be the difference between the offense thriving or floundering.
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