Spencer Rattler isn’t the only New Orleans Saints quarterback putting in work this offseason. Rookie draft pick Tyler Shough was spotted at Tulane’s Yulman Stadium on Saturday getting to know some of his new teammates. Second-year wide receiver Bub Means was there catching passes from Rattler, and so were veteran tight ends Juwan Johnson and Foster Moreau (who was wearing a knee brace after his Week 18 injury). Former Tulane Green Wave wide receiver Dontae Fleming, who signed with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted rookie, was also in attendance.

Each of these guys could play big roles in 2025. Johnson (who once played with Shough in college at Oregon) just signed a lucrative three-year contract extension, and figures to see an uptick in targets. Kellen Moore’s offense is known for funneling a lot of passes to the tight ends and his late-night sales pitch convinced Johnson to stay in New Orleans as a free agent. Means is both the tallest and heaviest receiver on the roster so he may be expected to fight for contested catches and move the chains. Moreau has been an effective blocker and pass-catcher for the Saints, and he’s one of the few guys offensively who plays with real attitude. They need tone-setters like him. Moore’s reluctance to roster a fullback may open up new doors for Moreau, too.

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All that aside, it’s really encouraging to see Shough asserting himself and getting to work so soon. Like other first-year pros, he won’t report to the Saints practice facility for rookie minicamp until next weekend, but he isn’t wasting any time. Developing this chemistry with his receivers and learning what routes they like and where he can place the ball is critical. This is how that bond starts to materialize.

Sure, we shouldn’t make too much of it. It’s one throwing session with guys in sweatpants. But we’ll take the positivity where we can find it these days. That Shough is taking the initiative to huddle up with his new teammates and sling the ball around on a Saturday morning, rather than sit on the couch at home? That’s good. It lines up with what his Louisville teammate Quincy Riley said about Shough after the Saints drafted both of them. You can’t really measure leadership as a tangible quality, but actions like this are proof it does exist.

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Rookie Saints QB Tyler Shough works out with Juwan Johnson, Bub Means