The New Orleans Saints have the talent to compete in a weak NFC South in the upcoming 2024 NFL season, with several players on the verge of breakout performances. Here are three Saints who will break out this year. The 2024 NFL season is quickly approaching. The New Orleans Saints are gearing up for another competitive year in the NFC South. The team will be led by established stars Alvin Kamara and Cameron Jordan. Several players on the roster are ready to elevate their game to the next level. These breakout candidates have shown flashes of potential and are now prepared to make a significant impact. This article highlights the Saints players primed for a big 2024 season and explores what makes them vital to the team’s success.
Breakout Candidates: Saints Players Primed For A Big 2024 Season
The Explosive Playmaker
Rashid Shaheed started his career signing as an undrafted free agent out of Weber State in the 2022 season. The explosive, speedy returner made an immediate impact upon signing to the active roster on October 15, 2022. Shaheed scored two touchdowns on his first two offensive touches and would finish his rookie year with 28 catches, 488 yards, and two touchdowns. He took another step forward and expanded his offensive role in 2023. Shaheed started eight games and finished the year with 46 catches, 719 yards, and five touchdowns. He secured a first-team all-pro punt returner spot in the 2023 season. With the hiring of new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and the departure of wide receiver Michael Thomas, Shaheed is set for a breakout 2024 season.
Former 2nd Overall Pick
Chase Young was the number two overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft via the Washington Commanders. He emerged as a top prospect from Ohio State University and quickly made a significant impact in the league. Young would finish his rookie campaign with 44 tackles and 7.5 sacks while winning Defensive Rookie of the Year. Since his rookie season, Young has dealt with plenty of adversity. He tore his ACL in 2021, which caused him to miss most of the 2022 NFL season, and was traded to the San Francisco 49S for a third-round draft pick. Since winning DROY, Young has nine sacks and has started 17 of 28 games. The Saints signed Chase Young as a free agent during the 2024 NFL offseason to a one-year, fully guaranteed $13 million “prove-it” deal. Still only 25 years old, Young is primed to rejuvenate his career and break out in 2024.
The “Other” Safety
Jordan Howden enters his second season with New Orleans via the 146th overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft. He is slated to start opposite superstar Tyrann Mathieu with the release of former Jet Marcus Maye. As a rookie, Howden started seven games at safety, finishing with 43 tackles and five pass deflections. Howden is a solid athlete, running a 4.49 40-yard dash at the NFL combine with a 33.5″ vertical. He was a productive, intuitive safety with the Golden Gophers with 49 collegiate starts. The Saints need to play him as a two-deep safety to put Howden in the best position to maximize his talents. The overall numbers in his rookie year are underwhelming, but the Saints are betting that Howden will take a significant leap in his sophomore season.
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