Tyler Shough only started half of last season for the New Orleans Saints. However, he showed many times over just how tough he can be.
During an appearance on the Ross Tucker Football Podcast, the potential franchise quarterback for New Orleans opened up about a hematoma he had to play through. "It was rough, because it was right where you get hit 99% of the time. I don't know if you've seen the movie Alien, but it's like I had a little alien friend... I had to lock in. It was hurting pretty bad," Shough said to Tucker. "I still have that bruise, and it's still scarring."
The bruise was so bad that it had Tucker calling it the worst he'd ever seen. With that being from a former NFL offensive lineman, it also says a lot: that Shough is tough and will put it all on the field for the Saints. A huge thing for a young QB to show, the Saints can reward him by making sure that he'll be hit less in 2026. Thankfully, they've been on that from the jump.
Keeping Tyler Shough off the ground is priority #1 for Saints
One of the biggest additions, literally and figuratively, was guard David Edwards. The Saints have made it a priority this offseason to protect Tyler Shough. You can't have him going through that again.
The Saints' quarterback was sacked 31 times last season. When the 11 games played are factored in, the number becomes even worse. Shough was tied for 15th most sacked player in the league, and he was on pace to be in the top five if he played all 17 games. That's something that the signing of Edwards should definitely help prevent. One of the top interior offensive linemen last season, the 6'6", 308 lb man allowed only three sacks on 1,035 snaps.
What makes Edwards even more valuable is the fact that he’s also a force in the run game. Yet another part of the Saints offense that needs improving, it's also yet another area that Edwards can help. A strong run game is always useful, and it should help keep Shough upright in his sophomore year.
The additions to the protections of their quarterback didn't stop there, either. New Orleans kept them going all the way through the draft. They took Georgia tight end Oscar Delp in the third round. More of a blocking TE as a Bulldog, he showed the ability to play all over the line of scrimmage. He'll undoubtedly help in protecting Shough.
In the ensuing round, they drafted OG Jeremiah Wright. He may or may not give immediate return like Edwards and Delp, but the premise is still the same. Keeping Shough safe was clearly a top concern of the offseason.
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