The Future Is Now: Young Players Who Must Develop To Make Up Saints Core

A look on the younger players on the New Orleans roster and whether they can be building blocks for the team's future.

New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Bryan Bresee (90) sacks Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Saints are winding up a season that sees them miss the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season. It's their longest stretch without a postseason appearance since between 2001 and 2005, part of a span where they missed the playoffs in 12 of 13 seasons.

There are several reasons for the Saints struggles this year. Injuries decimated the offensive skill positions, poor performance of the interior offensive line, bad coaching, and the bottoming out of a once formidable defense are chief among those reasons.

Above all, New Orleans is viewed as an aging roster with salary cap issues, questions at quarterback, and not much youth to build around. These are the main reasons why ESPN's Brian Barnwell recently named the Saints as the least attractive coaching destination among the probable vacancies this offseason.

Obviously, Barnwell needed to actually do a bit of research (see: Jets and Raiders as prime examples), but the issues in New Orleans are still valid. However, there are some younger pieces to build around for the next coach of the Saints.

Here are four tiers of Saints players 26 or younger that could be potential building blocks for the future coaching regime.

Free Agent

• Paulson Adebo, CB (age 25)

New Orleans Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo (29) returns an interception against the Dallas Cowboys / Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

Re-signing Adebo before 2025 free agency didn't seem much of a possibility before this year started. He was coming off an outstanding 2023-24 campaign, plus the Saints already have Marshon Lattimore and Alontae Taylor, along with drafting Kool-Aid McKinstry in the second round.

Fast forward a few months. Adebo went out for the year with a broken femur in Week 7. Possibly hurting his free agent stock more than that was the fact that he had not been playing well before the injury. He should still be a free-agent target but will perhaps be more affordable to the Saints.

New Orleans would be wise to prioritize re-signing Adebo. As recently as a year ago, he looked on the cusp of being one of the league's better corners. He's a physical defender who plays well in off-ball coverage and is capable of taking on the league's top wideouts in man-to-man duties.

Core Players/Star Potential

• Bryan Bresee, DT (age 23)
• Taliese Fuaga, LT (22)
• Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB (22)
• Chris Olave, WR (24)
• Rashid Shaheed, WR (26)
• Alontae Taylor, CB (26)

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (12) runs after a catch against the Dallas Cowboys / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Bresee, in his second season, is looking like a perennial Pro Bowler. His team-leading 7.5 sacks are second among the league's defensive tackles. He's also rapidly improving as a run defender on top of his 24 pressures, 7 tackles for loss, three tipped passes, and a blocked field goal.

After playing right tackle during an All-American career at Oregon State, Fuaga has had a seamless transition to the left side as a rookie. He's had the struggles you'd expect from a first year player, especially one at a new position. However, Fuaga has shown the traits of a formidable run blocker and has shut down some of the league's best edge rushers as a pass blocker.

McKinstry, a rookie second-round choice, saw more action than anticipated because of Adebo's injury and Lattimore's trade. He's responded well, giving up 56% completion rate when targeted and breaking up five passes. McKinstry has terrific agility and outstanding man coverage skills. He's already shown the ability to lock down top receivers, something that should get even better with more experience.

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (22) catches a touchdown pass against the Carolina Panthers / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Olave has been the Saints top receiver since selected with the 11th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. After back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons to start his career, concussions have limited him to eight games and 32 receptions for 400 yards this season. Still, he's a precise route runner with big-play ability.

A rookie alongside Olave in 2022, Shaheed joined the Saints as an undrafted signing. Arguably the best returner in the league, he's also an underrated and rapidly improving route runner. A knee injury cut his year short after just six games, but Shaheed will be a vital part of the offense going forward.

Alontae Taylor was the Saints defensive MVP through the first half of the year. A physical defender, Taylor also brings tremendous versatility to the secondary. He's effective as both a slot and outside corner while also being a solid run defender and disruptive blitzer.

Solid Complement/Good Upside

• Trevor Penning, RT (25)
• Pete Werner, LB (25)

New Orleans Saints linebacker Pete Werner (20) tackles Carolina Panthers tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (0) / Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

After failing at left tackle, 2022 first-round choice Penning has found a home on the right side. He still has issues in pass protection, but has shown improvement in that area. His value is as a run blocker, where he regularly plows over defenders. The Fuaga-Penning tackle combination looks to have the Saints set at the position for the foreseeable future.

Werner has been a tackling machine and terrific run defender since joining the Saints as a 2021 second-round choice. He's limited in pass coverage, but has terrific awareness and instincts. Werner has been a great complement to Demario Davis, but also has the ability to be the defensive play-caller.

Potential, But Jury's Out

• Jaylan Ford, LB (23)
• Bub Means, WR (23)
• Kendre Miller, RB (22)

New Orleans Saints running back Kendre Miller (25) runs against the Green Bay Packers / Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Ford's rookie year was marred by injury and he played no defensive snaps in eight game appearances. However, he was a playmaker all over the field for the Texas Longhorns. The Saints carried him on the active roster into the season and made him a healthy game-day scratch for seven weeks. This may show that he flashed enough potential that New Orleans didn't want to subject him to waivers or risk getting him signed away from the practice squad.

Means got his rookie year off to a slow start because of injury. When injuries also sidelined Olave and Shaheed, Means was starting to come on strong before an ankle injury ended his season. He only had nine receptions for 118 yards. However, the bulk of that came in two games as he showed very good contested catch skills.

Potential is a tantalizing trait that gets coaches fired, and Kendre Miller is dripping with it. Miller has teased with the vision, power, explosiveness, and receiving skills that made him a 2023 third-round choice out of TCU. He's also not been able to stay on the field, missing 19 of a possible 33 outings, and has been slow to pick up the offense.

Bresee, Fuaga, McKinstry, Olave, Shaheed, and Taylor are exciting young pieces the Saints can build around. Adebo is certainly among that group if the Saints re-sign him. A legitimate argument can be made that Werner and Penning also belong on that list.

This is a crucial offseason for those players. Perhaps even more critical for Ford, Means, and Miller. The Saints have to rebuild at several roster spots while also getting younger. Their offseason moves may reflect how they feel about the upside of the younger players on their roster.