The New Orleans Saints announced their 2026 captains, and four newcomers stood out among the rest. Tyler Shough, Chase Young, David Edwards and Kaden Elliss are all first time captains for the Saints, and it's hard to argue with any of them. After an offseason of change, the Saints were due for some change.
Elliss and Edwards were two of the biggest additions of the offseason, and they've clearly already engrained themselves in the locker room. Elliss is going to be the voice of the offseason, and Edwards along with fellow captain Erik McCoy will be the best players on the offensive line. Making the list of captains in their first year, or first year back, with the team tells you how quickly they've established themselves.
Your 2026 Captains ⚜️ pic.twitter.com/IX3jGZvbCf
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) September 8, 2026
Tyler Shough and Chase Young are the future faces of the team
Of all the newcomers, Tyler Shough and Chase Young stand out the most for a few reasons.
Shough and Young play the positions you want your best players at, they display the leadership you want from the faces of your franchise and they've shown the potential to play at the level you want from players who are representations of your team on a national level. They both have to prove consistency and the ability to take that next step.
Shough's leadership has been on full display in the community and on the field. He's committed himself to embracing and loving the local culture and on the field, there's no doubt in his teammates' mind that he has full command of the team. Both Alvin Kamara and Erik McCoy spoke about the leadership and the respect Shough commands within the locker room.
Shough's leadership has been constant conversation this offseason, but Young is a bit more subtle. You can see it on the sideline when his teammates are making plays, and he's the first to congratulate them. Young doesn't appear to be the biggest talker, but he does come off as a tone setter.
Being named captain is just confirmation of his growing position on this team. He's the top edge rusher on the team, and next to quarterback, that's arguably the most impactful position.
As for taking the next step, Young is certainly closer. Without injury, Young is probably looking at a 12 sack season in 2025. He had 10 sacks in an injury shortened campaign, so the real goal for 2026 should be staying healthy and sustaining the level of play.
A jump up could result in north of 13 sacks, and that's going to get Young paid. His contract ends after the 2027 season, but it wouldn't be surprising to see a new deal be struck after this year. He's clearly a player the Saints can build around, and his high pressure rate in 2024 then turning that into high sack totals in 2025 are proof of that.
For Shough, it's simple. Show the flashes from his rookie year are more than flashes. Now, that teams have film on him, it'll be interesting if Year 2 can be as good as Year 1 ended. It's easier said than done, but it's largely about time on task for the young quarterback.
Both Shough and Young have questions to answers, but what they've put out so far suggests they can reach those heights. If they do, both players are at an age where the team can keep them and build around them for years to come.
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