In today’s pass-happy NFL, a team can only go as far as their aerial attack can bring them. The New Orleans Saints already upgraded the quarterback position with Derek Carr, but if they want to match the offensive firepower of teams like the Philadelphia Eagles, they’ll need their wide receivers to step up. While Chris Olave is a star in the making, Rashid Shaheed could be the hidden gem that takes the Saints to the next level.
Rashid Shaheed Is the Hidden Gem For the 2023 New Orleans Saints
An Impressive Debut
Chris Olave stole the headlines with his objectively amazing rookie season, but undrafted free agent Rashid Shaheed had a memorable debut in his own right. Appearing in 12 games while making six starts, the Weber State product finished the season with 28 receptions for 488 yards and two touchdowns on just 34 targets. He showed a genuine ability as a deep threat, as evidenced by his 17.4 yards per reception and 14.4 yards per target. On top of that, Shaheed’s 82.4% catch rate was absurd considering most of his targets came deep down the field.
The advanced numbers paint a similar picture. According to PlayerProfiler, Shaheed finished the season with a staggering 2.77 yards per route run. If he had enough snaps to qualify for the leaderboard, he would’ve finished second behind only Tyreek Hill. Pro Football Focus, meanwhile, gave him an 80.8 grade, which would have made him the 16th-best receiver by their metrics.
Obviously, Rashid Shaheed is not a top-15 wide receiver in football, and he probably would not have been able to maintain this absurd efficiency with a larger workload. However, he proved that he belonged in the NFL, and the Saints could use another deep threat to keep up with the NFL’s elite passing attacks.
RASHID SHAHEED pic.twitter.com/6wKABmhonr https://t.co/twLM8tPpNR
— cavan (@sincerelycavan) June 13, 2023
How Rashid Shaheed Fits the Saints Depth Chart
Decades of rule changes have made the passing game more important than ever before. If you have an elite quarterback, you’re basically guaranteed to be in the playoff picture. Derek Carr is a solid starter, but he can’t singlehandedly go up against the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, Josh Allen, and Jalen Hurts. With that in mind, the Saints need to surround Carr with as much receiving talent as possible to try and offset this gap in quarterback talent.
Chris Olave had a historic rookie season, and Saints fans should feel comfortable knowing that, barring injury, they have their WR1 position locked up. At this point in time, Michael Thomas is a high-risk, high-reward player that needs to prove he can stay on the field. Even if he can put together a full season for the first time since 2019, he’s not a deep threat. The Saints need somebody with speed to line up opposite Olave, and Rashid Shaheed could be the perfect fit for the job.
The New Orleans Saints face off against one of the easiest schedules in the league, and if these three stay healthy, the Saints could wind up with one of the best passing attacks in football. Olave can do a little bit of everything, Thomas can get open quickly, Shaheed can stretch the defense, and Carr is good enough to find the open man. While they might not be the most talented team in the NFC, New Orleans could take advantage of their weak scheduling and push for the top seed in the conference.
Main Photo: Bill Streicher – USA Today Sports
