‘I definitely want to hopefully build a relationship there because of who he is and what he has to offer’
Tyler Shough heads into training camp as the favorite to take on the bold task of replacing Derek Carr for the New Orleans Saints after he was selected at 40th overall by the team. It’s a task that won’t be easy, not necessarily because of the fact Carr set the bar high, but because the Saints have not seen truly great quarterback play since Drew Brees retired.
So, how involved have those two been to this point? The contact has been minimal, but it’s the start of what could be a great and perhaps even long-lived relationship.
“He reached out to me as soon as I got drafted, and he just kind of said, ‘Hey, if I can help out in any way, let me know’ and I thought that was really nice,” Shough told me on a phone call at the end of June.
According to Shough, that’s the extent of the relationship for now. Shough says he plans to pick Brees’ brain on his preparation and his routine, noting that he believes Brees has one of the best processes Shough has ever seen. It is one he strives to emulate as he has an opportunity ahead of him to go from NFL draft underdog to the heralded face of a franchise.
“I’ve gotten a little it busy, but I was planning on reaching out and asking him if he has any recommendations here locally, what his process was and stuff like that,” Shough said. “I’ve just been utilizing the coaches and staff around me right now, but I definitely want to hopefully build a relationship there because of who he is and what he has to offer.”
Brees is no stranger to mentoring quarterbacks, recently taking Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix under his wing during the offseason. Surely he’d be up to helping develop a quarterback in “his” city, one would believe.
Only time will tell if Shough reaches these heights after the Saints took him off the board way higher than any of the projections had him, but there’s no question the former Louisville signal-caller has his head right where New Orleans wants it.