Training camp is where talk starts turning into football.

Every team has optimism this time of year. Everybody looks faster in shorts. Everybody says the right things. But once camp opens, you start finding out who is ready — and who still has work to do.

For the Saints, this year feels especially important. New faces, young players, veterans trying to hold roles, and a team trying to prove it can take a step forward in 2026.

Here are five Saints with the most to prove.

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1. Tyler Shough

This one is obvious.

Shough showed flashes last season, but now the question changes. It’s not “can he survive?” anymore. It’s “can he lead?”

He needs to show command, consistency, and control of the offense. The Saints gave him more weapons. Now he has to prove he can use them.

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2. Zach Wilson

Wilson is getting another chance, and those don’t come forever.

The talent has always been there. The arm is real. But training camp will show whether he can make smart decisions, play within the system, and push the quarterback room the right way.

He doesn’t have to be perfect.

He does have to look dependable.

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3. Jordyn Tyson

First-round picks don’t get to hide.

Tyson made a good first impression at rookie minicamp, but training camp is different. Pads come on. Veterans test you. Expectations get louder.

The Saints drafted him to add explosion to the offense. Now he has to show he can separate, learn quickly, and become more than just a camp headline.

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4. Oscar Delp

Delp could become one of the more important rookies on this offense.

A reliable tight end helps everybody — the quarterback, the run game, the red zone, third down. If Delp can block and become a dependable target, he gives the Saints something they badly need: balance.

Camp will tell us how quickly he can handle the NFL game.

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5. Kool-Aid McKinstry

The secondary needs answers, and Kool-Aid has a chance to be one of them.

Talent isn’t the question. Consistency is.

He has to show he can hold up against top receivers, limit mistakes, and become a player the defense can trust every week.

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Bottom Line

Training camp won’t decide the whole season.

But it will tell us a lot.

If Shough looks steady, Tyson looks ready, Delp earns trust, Wilson pushes the room, and Kool-Aid takes a step forward, the Saints have a real chance to look different this year.

Not just younger.

Better.

That’s what I’m watching.

Who Dat.

— Anthony “Tony” from the Westbank

Who Dat Nation, I think we’re all guilty of it.

We spend so much time talking about the future that we forget to appreciate the players who helped build the foundation.

That’s why Cam Jordan deserves a little attention today.

At 37 years old, Cam is back for another season in black and gold after signing a new one-year deal with the Saints. He’s also back in the NFL Top 100 after many people thought his best years were behind him.

Think about that for a second.

Sixteen seasons.
One franchise.
Countless big plays.
Countless battles with Atlanta.

And somehow he’s still here.

What stands out most isn’t the sacks anymore.

It’s the leadership.

You hear young players talk about him. You hear Tyler Shough talk about him. You hear veterans talk about him. Everybody points to Cam as one of the voices that sets the standard inside that locker room.

The Saints are getting younger.

Tyler Shough.
Jordyn Tyson.
Oscar Delp.
Christen Miller.

They’re all trying to figure out what it means to be a professional.

Having Cam Jordan around for that matters.

A lot.

Maybe this is his last ride.

Maybe it isn’t.

But one thing is certain:

When Cam Jordan finally hangs it up, Saints fans are going to realize how hard it is to replace a player who gave everything to this city and this organization for more than a decade.

For now, let’s enjoy one more season.

Because players like Cam Jordan don’t come around very often.

Who Dat.

— Anthony “Tony” from the Westbank

Every offseason there’s a team that surprises people.

Maybe this year it’s the Saints.

Now before anyone starts planning a parade down Poydras, let’s be realistic. This team won six games last year and hasn’t made the playoffs in five seasons. Nobody is handing New Orleans anything.

But when you look at the roster today versus where it was a year ago, it’s hard not to see reasons for optimism.

First, there’s Tyler Shough.

The Saints spent the second half of last season finding out whether they had a quarterback. By the end of the year, Shough gave fans something they haven’t had in a while — hope. He still has plenty to prove, but he’s entering this season with more experience, more confidence, and a lot more help around him.

And that help matters.

The Saints completely rebuilt the offensive weapons around him:

• Travis Etienne in the backfield
• Jordyn Tyson at receiver
• Oscar Delp at tight end
• More speed, more depth, and more playmakers across the board.

The defense still has questions. Losing veteran leadership is never easy, and the secondary is going to have to prove it can handle some elite quarterbacks and receivers this season.

But here’s what people forget:

The Saints don’t need to become the Chiefs overnight.

They just need to be better.

A better offense.
A healthier roster.
A quarterback taking the next step.

That’s how teams make the jump.

The schedule isn’t impossible, the NFC South is still wide open, and for the first time in a few years, it feels like the Saints have a direction instead of a question mark.

Will they win the division?

Maybe.

Will they make the playoffs?

It’s certainly possible.

What I do know is this:

I think the rest of the league is expecting the same old Saints.

And that might be their mistake.

Who Dat.

— Anthony “Tony” from the Westbank

Every offseason it feels like the same conversation.

Trade Alvin Kamara.

Move on.

Start over.

And every offseason, Kamara seems to say the same thing:

“I want to be a Saint.”

The latest reports suggest a trade is actually less likely than some of the rumors floating around social media. Kamara showed up for OTAs, said there’s no bad blood with the organization, and his agent has publicly stated he expects him to be in New Orleans this season.

Now, does that mean he’ll still be the featured back?

Probably not.

The Saints brought in Travis Etienne for a reason.

But here’s my question:

Why are so many fans in a hurry to push out one of the best offensive players in franchise history?

Kamara is the Saints’ all-time leading rusher.

He’s been part of some of the best teams this franchise has ever had.

And even if he’s no longer the player he was five years ago, he still brings leadership, versatility, and experience to a young offense that’s trying to find its identity.

Could this be his last season in New Orleans?

Maybe.

But if that’s the case, I’d rather spend the season appreciating what he’s meant to this franchise than trying to ship him out every time a rumor pops up online.

Sometimes the answer isn’t to move on as fast as possible.

Sometimes the answer is to appreciate a great player while he’s still wearing black and gold.

That’s where I stand.

Who Dat.

— Anthony “Tony” from the Westbank