It was only one game, but there’s already a sense of optimism about the direction of the New Orleans Saints. They are still not going to the playoffs, but the 17-7 win over the Carolina Panthers provided a sample size of where the team could be headed. While postseason hopes are out of the cards, there’s still a lot to look forward to as the team returns to action after the bye week. Here are five things to watch for as the Saints head into the second half of their 2025 season.
1. Tyler Shough’s Continued Development
League analysts are still talking about Tyler Shough’s performance against the Carolina Panthers in Week 10. He set a team record in passing yards for a rookie with 282 yards and tossed two touchdown passes. Can he replicate the same performance in the coming weeks? Because if so, the Saints will not use their first-round pick on a quarterback. According to Tank-A-Thon, the Saints currently sit with a pick of No.2 in the current 2026 NFL Draft order.
2. Devaughn Vele’s Usage
After trading Rasheed Shahid to the Seattle Seahawks, the Saints got their fourth-round pick back that they shipped to the Denver Broncos to acquire Devaughn Vele. When the move was made, many in the fan base disagreed with the transaction because they felt that New Orleans needed a full arsenal of draft picks to rebuild the franchise. Since becoming a Saint, Vele has only shown a tiny sample size of his upside as a pass catcher. Now that Shaheed is gone and Chris Olave’s role as a WR1 has been elevated, maybe we’ll finally see more of Vele’s skillset as a big physical target in the Saints’ offense.
3. The Improvement of Brandon Staley’s Defense
Outside of the performance against the Los Angeles Rams, the Saints’ defense has fought to keep the team in most of their games this season. However, their best performance so far came before the bye week against the Carolina Panthers. The group took away the Panthers’ top weapon on offense, Rico Dowdle, by allowing him to rush for only 53 yards on 18 carries. Quarterback Bryce Young threw for 124 yards and one interception. They won’t face offenses like Carolina’s every week, but with the next few games, there will be opportunities to build on their performance in Week 10.
4. Chris Olave’s Ascension as a True WR1
I’ve heard countless Saints content creators and local media members state that they do not believe Chris Olave is the team’s true number one option at the receiver position. Well, for a team that has struggled with inept quarterback play since the season started, Olave has produced exceptionally well. Olave is currently ranked seventh in receptions with 60 and 11th in receiving yards with 664. If he stays on the current trajectory, a contract extension with the Saints will be within his grasp.
5. A Return to Seeing Vintage Alvin Kamara
Not trying to sound superstitious, but it seems that when the Saints’ quarterback play improves, everything around it becomes enhanced. In last Sunday’s game versus Carolina, Kamara accounted for 115 all-purpose yards. The screen pass from Shough, which picked up 26 yards, turned back the clock for Saints fans.
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