The New Orleans Saints were one of the worst teams in 2025, finishing the year with a 6-11 record. However, that hasn’t stopped fans from getting excited for 2026. Since New Orleans won five of its last six games, seemingly found a quarterback, and has a lot of other execiting young players, fans believe the future is bright.
Not everyone is convinced 2026 will be that bright for the Saints, though. That was evident in a recent CBS Sports’ ranking of each team’s triplets (QB, RB, and pass catcher). New Orleans’ trio of Tyler Shough, Travis Etienne, and Chris Olave was ranked 23rd, and writer Jared Dubin raised some concerns about the group.
Rookie Tyler Shough. pic.twitter.com/tkPYVNFwPJ
— Football Performances (@NFLPerformances) June 13, 2026
Saints’ offensive trio of Tyler Shough, Travis Etienne, and Chris Olave faces criticism
Dubin didn’t hold back. The writer said that Shough’s season-ending stretch, that is fueling the optimism in him, came against poor competition. Dubin went on to say that Etienne is “getting by on name value” after averaging just 3.9 yards a carry over the last three seasons. For Olave, Dubin acknowledged that he was a good player, but called him a health risk because of his history of injuries.
The writer ended things by praising Kellen Moore, and arguing that he can elevate players above their talent, but Dubin made it clear that he doesn’t think too highly of New Orleans’ core offensive players. It is important to note that this was only a ranking of the leading trio, but if the writer is low on those three, his expectations are probably low for the whole offense.
Regardless of Dubin’s opinion, it is an intriguing group in New Orleans. Shough did flash enough as a rookie for fans to be excited, Etienne was a productive running back in a good Jacksonville Jaguars offense, and Olave has played 15 or more games in three of his four seasons. The Saints also still have Alvin Kamara, Juwan Johnson, and added first-round receiver Jordyn Tyson to the mix.
The Saints will have to bring it all together on the field, but if they can do so quickly, the fans’ offeseason optimism will be justified, as it turns into regular season jubilation.
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