PFF's Dalton Wasserman believes Devaughn Vele is the New Orleans Saints' breakout candidate heading into next season, and that's an opinion you simply haven't heard much this offseason. That doesn't mean it isn't accurate though. If for no other reason, Vele and Tyler Shough were beginning to form a productive partnership late last year.
Wasserman sees Vele as a breakout candidate, but it seems like he's been out of sight, out of mind with Saints fans after finishing the year on Injured Reserve. That doesn't sway Wasserman, however. Kool-Aid McKinstry and Quincy Riley are also on that short list, but it's hard to argue with the logic behind Wasserman's selection.
"Vele's 293 receiving yards this season may not seem like much, but he started to develop a nice rapport with quarterbackTyler Shough before missing the Saints' final three games due to injury. From Weeks 12 through 15, Vele earned an 84.7 PFF receiving grade while averaging nearly 60 yards per game."
DeVaughn Vele is the breakout candidate that has flown under the radar
The Saints need to add another wide receiver to the mix, but there’s been a growing false narrative that the Saints are just Chris Olave and some guys. Olave is coming off a career year, but he wasn’t the only receiver who popped.
There were immediate expectations for Vele after the Saints traded a fourth round pick for him. Admittedly, it looked like a horrible trade for most of the season. It took Vele a while to get going, but he picked up speed rapidly once he got the hang of things. Vele led the Saints in receiving yards against the Dolphins, Buccaneers and was the go to target versus the Panthers until he left with injury.
Vele showed reliability in multiple different scenarios. 3rd down, long distance, over the middle. Vele did all of these things. Most impressively, Shough began to lean on Vele in critical moments in that stretch. Frankly, it looked like the Saints found the true complement to Olave that many fans are looking. Vele had to miss the final few games, but the point had been proven. Or so it seemed.
That final stretch unquestionably warrants him being considered a breakout candidate, which is why it’s surprising to see how much he’s been forgotten so quickly. It doesn't mean the Saints can't or shouldn't invest in the position, but it does feel like Vele has been disregarded in that conversation. Wasserman has the right idea, though. Vele should certainly be a name we talk about more as a breakout candidate.