New Orleans quarterback Tyler Shough has embraced the responsibilities that come with his first full season as the Saints’ starter, spending much of the offseason in New Orleans at community events, helping recruit free agents and taking the majority of first-team reps at OTAs and minicamp, according to ESPN. Defensive end Cameron Jordan, who re-signed with the Saints during minicamp, joked that Shough was among teammates pestering him to complete his new deal, the report added.
Shough, 26, is expected to be a team leader in 2026 and has worked to preserve the chemistry built when the Saints won four of six late in the 2025 season. To extend that momentum, he is arranging a summer trip to San Diego and will cover travel for about 18 teammates to work out together, according to ESPN.
The plan calls for Shough to travel to Oregon first and then to California for a quarterback–wide receiver throwing retreat that he described as an “investment,” ESPN reported. He reached out to Pro Football Hall of Famer and 2026 enshrinee Drew Brees for advice on locations and access to a field near Del Mar; Shough said Brees played a key role in arranging the workout site, according to ESPN.
Wide receiver Chris Olave, who is from the San Diego area and worked with Shough in Oregon last summer, is expected to participate. Olave has been limited this offseason after being placed on blood thinners following a blood clot in the final week of 2025; the team has kept him out of contact drills until he is cleared by doctors, and he anticipates coming off the medication in a few weeks, ESPN reported.
Offseason field work was constrained during OTAs and minicamp, particularly on offense. Running back Alvin Kamara attended one OTA and did limited work in minicamp, other backs have missed time with injuries, and several receivers—including Olave and 2026 first-round pick Jordyn Tyson—have been limited, opening opportunities for players such as rookie Bryce Lance to take meaningful snaps with Shough, according to ESPN.
The Saints emphasized installation and cohesion during the limited on-field work, even canceling a mandatory minicamp practice to go bowfishing for the second straight year. Shough said the team has gotten closer and plans to replicate those bonding experiences during the California retreat, per ESPN.
