We just passed the midway mark of the New Orleans Saints’ season. This makes it the perfect time to rewind and visit some preseason predictions to know whether we hit, or missed the mark. One that I wrote ranked the Saints’ offensive positions from most to least trustworthy.

 Looking back, there are some critical errors that I missed. Conversely, I was correct about certain spots, and they’ve either lived up to the hype or, sadly, haven’t impressed.

So, what did I get right? What did I completely miss? Let’s dive into the past and revisit my article ranking the Saints’ offensive positions based on their trustworthiness.

Nobody could’ve seen the running backs failing

I ranked the running backs as the most trustworthy heading into the year. Not a great start. Here is my rationale for ranking them this highly.

“The Saints running back room is the perfect mix of reliability and explosiveness. Travis Etienne Jr. and Alvin Kamara are the top-two backs and are primed for a dynamic season,” I wrote. “The duo splitting snaps will help them stay healthy and have fresh legs throughout the year.”

In all fairness, unforeseen injuries have played a major role, but this group was disappointing even without them. Blame the blocking, the scheme, or whatever. The fact is that this group hasn’t met expectations and must improve for the Saints to make a playoff run.

It was hard to miss on the wide receivers

Looking back, the wide receivers should’ve been number one, even with the confidence I had in the running backs. There was simply too much proven talent with Chris Olave and DeVaughn Vele. Even without Jordyn Tyson, many fans would comfortably put this at the top. 

Olave’s developed into a bona fide star, Vele’s been ultra-reliable, and the rookies have showcased their potential. They’ve been explosive and are a major reason, along with Tyler Shough, that the Saints are still in NFC South title contention.

Following them, I had the tight ends. In retrospect, this probably was the right spot for them. They haven’t been fantastic by any means, outside of glimpses from Juwan Johnson, but they certainly haven’t derailed the offense.

Ranking quarterback fourth was a crime

I was high on Tyler Shough heading into 2026, but I was wary of the sophomore slump. Looking back, I should’ve trusted the film and rightfully put this in the top two.

“So, it’s wise to temper expectations and not proclaim him as a top-five quarterback in the league,” I wrote. “Still, it’s an uber-exciting position, and could end up as arguably the top group on the team, but we need to see it for an extended period first.”

Shough’s shown his dominance for an extended period now. When the offense has stalled, he’s single-handedly brought the team back and has led multiple game-winning/comeback drives already. It was a question before the season, but now it’s a statement: The Saints have found their franchise quarterback.

After this, the offensive line (tackles at five and interior at six) finished out the rankings. I was skeptical of the depth at each position, which has been a serious concern. They’ve been unable to establish a run game and are questionable as pass blockers.

There’s still time for these groups to improve. But it looks like the Saints need to invest more capital in the trenches.

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