Canal Street Chronicles
Now in their bye week, the New Orleans Saints have had a rocky season to this point. First-year head coach Kellen Moore is currently sitting at 2-8 overall while going 1-1 in divisional play versus NFC South opponents. A lot has changed since the offseason when I first predicted award winners, so let’s check out the present state of the Saints and who some of the team’s standout players have been.
Barring any late-season miracle work from quarterback Tyler Shough, I believe third-round pick Jonas Sanker has done enough to earn this title through week ten. The young safety has had to step up and perform much earlier than anticipated due to Tyrann Mathieu’s retirement and Julian Blackmon landing on the injured reserve list with a major shoulder injury. While this award could have gone in several directions with a seemingly deep draft class, Sanker’s play has been efficient and notable after getting thrown into the fire. Shoutout to Kelvin Banks Jr. for quietly holding down the left tackle position in a constantly shifting offensive line.
Offseason Pick: Danny Stutsman
New Orleans’ top wideout has had a bounce-back year that may have even saved his place on the team. After playing in just eight games a season ago, Olave has not missed a beat in 2025. The wide receiver has nearly doubled his receptions number through just ten games and is on pace to finish with career highs in both yards and touchdowns. If he can maintain his health and benefit from consistent QB play, Olave should be a focal point in the Saints’ rebuild.
Offseason Pick: Rashid Shaheed (Seattle Seahawks)
Tight End Juwan Johnson is also rapidly approaching career highs in receptions and yards. No matter who is behind center, the big-bodied player has been a reliable target in the passing game. Johnson has three scores on the season while limiting turnovers to just one fumble.
Offseason Pick: Trevor Penning (Los Angeles Chargers)
Unfortunately for New Orleans, the offensive side of the ball has been mediocre at best. As a result, the Saints have one of the lowest-scoring offenses in the NFL. Even in a down year, Alvin Kamara’s mainstay at the forefront of the Saints’ production is hard to ignore. Although he has found the endzone just once in 2025, he has already eclipsed 600 yards from scrimmage and is seeking his ninth consecutive year with over 1,000 since entering the league.
Offseason Pick: Chris Olave
Defensive end Chase Young has been a menace along the defensive line, especially within the past few weeks. Not only has he forced many opposing QBs into hurried decisions, but he’s also managed to stuff the stat sheets a bit. Young has 13 tackles, three sacks, two tackles for loss, three...
