Who are the New Orleans Saints leaders? In years past, it was an easy question to answer. Demario Davis, Cam Jordan and, in a less in your face way, Alvin Kamara. All three of those players could be off the team in 2026. It leaves a question with no obvious answers other than Tyler Shough. That just isn’t enough.
Davis seamlessly took over from Drew Brees as the face of the team. He’s a natural leader and took on what felt like a daunting task with ease. It’s ridiculous to think Shough is going to step in as the same caliber of leader as Davis in Year 2. However, being the face of the team naturally falls to him as the potential franchise quarterback.
Regardless of Shough’s status as the face of the team, it’s going to take more than just him to replace leaders like Davis and potentially Jordan and Kamara. It’s one question that Saints still don’t have the answer to just yet.
Demario Davis leaves a massive void for the Saints that'll be hard to fill
It was a question that was constantly posed after Thursday’s practice. When you’re without half of last year’s captains, it’s going to be a common inquiry. Erik McCoy laid it out as well as you can.
“The reality is Demario is the best leader that I've ever seen in my entire life. His voice is almost irreplaceable. But it does give an opportunity and a chance for a lot of the other guys that might have been a little bit quieter beforehand to step up and showcase who they are, their personalities, their leadership skills. I'm sure that one guy can't fill his role, but two or three can.”
We’ve already laid out Shough as a logical option, but what about a defensive presence? Kaden Elliss makes a lot of sense. He’ll replace Davis as the key communicator on the defense, which makes him a natural choice as a vocal leader. He played that role for the Falcons, and he’s one of the leading candidates to step into the void for the Saints.
Justin Reid’s leadership was highlighted when he was signed a year ago, and he was a captain in his first year in New Orleans. That should continue into 2026. His role as a leader will need to be even more prominent.
Lastly, Chase Young may find himself being more vocal as well. The Saints had leaders on every level of the defense, but Davis and Jordan were enough for the whole team. It’s going to be a group effort to replace them.
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