Could the New Orleans Saints make their offense more multidimensional by adding more pass catchers? Almost certainly. They’re still shorthanded at wide receiver, and they didn’t get enough production out of the tight ends last year. The question is where those new additions might be lining up.
When responding to a question at NFL owners meetings about the addition of veteran wideout Cedrick Wilson Jr. to the receivers room, Saints head coach Dennis Allen shared an interesting nugget on the team’s overall approach to reloading on offense.
“I certainly think that’s something, an area in terms of a pass catcher — not necessarily a wide receiver, but a pass catcher, is something we’re going to continue to look at,” Allen mused. “I feel better about our depth now than I did a month ago, but I think that’s still probably a position we’ll look at somebody to add.”
The Saints signed Wilson and Stanley Morgan early in free agency, adding them to a group that includes Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, and A.T. Perry. The depth is better than it was in February before Shaheed was re-signed, when Olave and Perry were the only players under contract, but there are still eight spots open on the training camp roster at wide receiver. They’re hardly close to capacity.
But as Allen pointed out, we shouldn’t limit focus to wide receivers. If they can find a tight end who can outplay Juwan Johnson (37 catches for 368 yards) or Foster Moreau (21 receptions for 193 yards), the Saints shouldn’t let those veterans’ presence stop them.
Big-time Georgia Bulldogs tight end Brock Bowers has become a favorite of Saints fans who have watched him tear up the SEC the last few years: Bowers has scored 26 touchdowns in 40 games while finishing the last three seasons with ridiculous stat lines. He had 56 receptions for 882 yards as a freshman in 2021, and improved in 2022 with 63 catches for 942 yards. His production in 2023 was a comparative letdown, but his 56 grabs and 714 yards were better than many tight ends manage in a career.
His skills are obvious as a run-after-catch threat who can force a missed tackle and set up poor pursuit angles by the defense. What’s unclear is whether Bowers will test well enough athletically for the Saints’ college scouting department to approve. They maintain strict standards for the timing and agility drills, and Bowers pulled out of testing at the NFL Scouting Combine at the last minute. He also declined to participate in Georgia’s pro day, citing a a hamstring injury, and plans to work out individually for scouts on April 10. The deadline for teams to host draft prospects like Bowers at their headquarters is April 17, and no contact is permitted after April 24. The first round begins April 25.
The Saints overlooked Kendre Miller’s lack of athletic testing to draft him in the third round last year, but there’s a big difference between the 14th overall pick and the 71st selection they used on Miller. It’s tough to see the Saints ignoring an incomplete scouting report on such a risky pick, at a position known for being slow to develop in transition from the college game to the NFL. But you never know. What’s clear is they feel the offense needs more weapons, and that a young player like Bowers could have a lot to offer.
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