Tyler Shough turned a lot of doubters into believers after his rookie season, and that list of doubters included many New Orleans Saints fans. The doubters extended to national pundits as well. After a strong rookie year, he proved he's much more than a poor NFL Combine rep.
There's still one thing in his way before everyone is silenced, and that's time on the field. Bill Barnwell doesn't believe teams would trade a first round pick for Shough just yet, but it has nothing to do with talent.
Barnwell wrote, "teams would need to see a full campaign from the soon-to-be 27-year-old before they would be willing to send a first-round pick to the Saints. As good as Shough was in 2025, Barnwell is right. Continuing his hot streak has much greater stakes for Shough than garnering a first round pick in a hypothetical trade situation, however.
Tyler Shough's small sample size works for and against the Saints QB
Shough's season only being nine starts is both a reason to be encouraged and hesitant.
From a team perspective, the Saints have found the quarterback they want to build around, and they're doing just that. The offseason was marked by additions at running back, wide receiver and along the offensive line.
Those nine starts were impressive, but it's too early to crown Shough just yet. It was enough to he's poised to be the Saints next franchise quarterback but not enough flat out say it. Shough needs at least a season's worth of games before the statement can be made with full conviction.
The signs are definitely there though, and those who are ready to say Shough is next in line are justified. 17 more games will just go to shutting down concerns of rushing to judgement.
On the other hand, the fact Shough generated this much buzz this quickly speaks volumes to his performance to close out the season. Shough displayed accuracy, command of the offense and the ability to extend and make plays out of structure when things break down.
The entire momentum of the team flipped when Shough took over as starter, and their victories over the Panthers and Buccaneers were big wins for the team. Shough made plays that swung the tide of those matchups.
Shough's season came to a close in a matchup where all of his wide receivers and running backs were backups. The Saints lost, but his performance showed his ability to elevate talent. With the improved talent at the top of the offense and depth at many positions, Shough is stepping into a situation that should maximize him like he maximized the talent around him last year.
Most importantly, the Saints were at their best with Shough leading the way. Things were just sharper, and 9 games was enough time to come to that conclusion. Fans are rightfully eager to see what a full season looks like with him as a starter.
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