New Orleans is a city of ritual, but the one ritual Saints fans are getting tired of is the annual "cap space gymnastics" and the roster turnover that follows. We just wrapped up a 6-11 season in 2025. Honestly, it was a rollercoaster that ended in a bit of a ditch. Derek Carr is gone—retired after those shoulder and rotator cuff issues finally became too much to manage.
Now, we’re staring at a New Orleans Saints depth chart that looks nothing like the one from the Super Bowl era, or even the one from two years ago.
It's weird seeing Tyler Shough's name at the top of the pile. A rookie taking the reins after a veteran retirement isn't new in the NFL, but in New Orleans, it feels like a total identity shift. People keep talking about the "rebuild," but Mickey Loomis doesn't believe in that word. He believes in "retooling." Whether that’s actually working is a whole different conversation we should probably have over a po' boy.
The QB Room: Tyler Shough and the New Era
Basically, the Saints are betting the house on Tyler Shough right now.
He stepped into the fire during his rookie year and, honestly, showed some flashes. He’s got that 6'5" frame that scouts drool over, but the consistency isn't there yet. Behind him, you’ve got Spencer Rattler. Remember the hype when he was drafted? It’s cooled off, but he’s still the primary backup. If Shough stumbles early in 2026, the "Start Rattler" chants at the Caesars Superdome are going to be deafening by Week 3.
Then there’s Taysom Hill. He’s 35. He’s listed as a QB on the official New Orleans Saints depth chart, but we all know he's a tight end, a fullback, a personal protector on punts, and occasionally a human battering ram. There are huge questions about his future though. His contract has a void year coming up, and for the first time, it feels like the team might actually move on to get younger. It sounds crazy to say, but a Saints team without Taysom just feels wrong.
Skill Positions: Is Alvin Kamara Still "The Guy"?
Alvin Kamara is 30. In running back years, that’s basically 105.
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He’s still the heartbeat of this offense, but the depth behind him is actually starting to look decent. Audric Estimé is a bruiser. He’s the thunder to Kamara’s lightning, and we saw a lot more of him in the goal-line packages toward the end of last year.
- RB1: Alvin Kamara (The legend, though the cap hit is getting scary)
- RB2: Audric Estimé (The future "between-the-tackles" guy)
- RB3: Evan Hull (Special teams ace and depth)
On the outside, Chris Olave is the only thing keeping opposing defensive coordinators awake at night. He’s coming off an All-Pro second-team nod after finishing 2025 in the top ten for catches and yards. The Saints have to extend him this offseason. If they don't, fans might actually riot on Poydras Street.
The rest of the receiver room is... well, it’s thin. Dante Pettis and Kevin Austin Jr. are fine, but they aren't game-changers. The draft is going to be huge for this group. Word on the street is the Saints are looking at Carnell Tate or Jeremiyah Love to add some actual "juice" to the playmaking core.
Tight End Stability
Juwan Johnson finally stayed healthy and it paid off. 77 catches? 889 yards? Those are career numbers. He’s locked in as the TE1 after signing that three-year extension. Behind him, Moliki Matavao and Treyton Welch are the young guys trying to prove they belong.
The Offensive Line: A Work in Progress
If you want to know why the Saints struggled to move the ball last year, look at the trenches.
Taliese Fuaga is a stud at right tackle, but the rest of the line has been a revolving door. Kelvin Banks Jr. started all 17 games as a rookie at left tackle, which is a massive win for the front office. But the interior? It’s messy.
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Cesar Ruiz is a name that keeps coming up in trade rumors. He’s been a mainstay, but his cap hit is high, and his performance has been "kinda" up and down. Moving him might be the only way the Saints can afford to bring in a veteran center like David Andrews to stabilize things for Shough.
Defense: Brandon Staley’s New Look
The defense actually looked good toward the end of 2025. They went 4-1 in their last five, and Chase Young was a big reason why. He bagged 10 sacks last year—a career-high—and was the NFC Defensive Player of the Month to close out the season.
But here’s the problem: the leaders are getting old.
- Demario Davis: 37 years old.
- Cameron Jordan: 36 years old.
Both of these guys are Saints royalty. Both have contracts that are about to void. Honestly, it’s the biggest dilemma Mickey Loomis faces this January. Do you bring them back for one last ride, or do you let the "young bucks" like Danny Stutsman and Fadil Diggs take over? Stutsman started getting more snaps in December and didn't look out of place.
The Secondary
This is arguably the strongest part of the current New Orleans Saints depth chart.
Kool-Aid McKinstry is entering year three and looks like a lockdown corner. Pair him with Quincy Riley—who snatched a starting job mid-season last year—and Alontae Taylor, and you’ve got a very scary secondary.
Then you add the safeties. Justin Reid was a great free-agent find. He and Jonas Sanker (who was a revelation as a rookie starter) have solidified the back end.
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The Salary Cap "Magic" (Again)
You can't talk about the Saints roster without talking about the money.
Right now, they are roughly $14 million to $24 million over the 2026 cap. To most teams, that’s a crisis. To the Saints? It’s Tuesday.
They can get compliant pretty easily. Restructuring Chase Young and Juwan Johnson alone saves almost $17 million. Extending Olave adds another $8 million in space. The real question isn't if they can get under the cap, it's whether they should keep kicking the can down the road. Eventually, you run out of road.
Special Teams: The Smyth Factor
Charlie Smyth is the kicker. He’s part of the International Pathway Program and, honestly, he’s been solid. In a league where games are decided by three points every other week, having a reliable leg is everything. Kai Kroeger handles the punting, and Dante Pettis is the primary return man, though I wouldn't be surprised to see a draft pick take that job in 2026.
Actionable Insights for the 2026 Offseason
If the Saints want to climb back into the NFC South race, here is what needs to happen:
- Shore up the Interior O-Line: Tyler Shough needs a clean pocket. If the Saints don't address the guard and center positions in free agency or the first two rounds of the draft, 2026 will look just like 2025.
- Decide on the Veterans Early: Hanging onto Cam Jordan and Demario Davis for sentimental reasons is tempting, but the team needs to know if they are moving forward with Stutsman and Diggs before the draft starts.
- Find a WR2: Chris Olave can't do it alone. Whether it's through a trade or using that 8th overall pick on a weapon like Carnell Tate, the Saints need a legitimate second option to take the pressure off.
- Cap Management: Use the restructures of Chase Young and Justin Reid to create enough room to sign a veteran leader for the offensive line.
The window for the "Old Guard" has officially closed. The 2026 New Orleans Saints depth chart is the start of something new—for better or worse. It’s going to be a long spring in the Big Easy.