There was a clear goal when the New Orleans Saints signed Marquez Valdes-Scantling. New Orleans was bringing him in to offset some of deep threat ability Rashid Shaheed brought to the table.
That wasn’t lost on Valdes-Scantling. On Wednesday, he said he wants to “come in and contribute any way he can,” but we all know what that looks like.
The wide receiver is aiming to “provide the big-play ability that I’ve had over my whole career. I just want to get back to doing that and be able to push the ball down the field, so we can score some points.”
Valdes-Scantling averaged 15.3, 17.4, 20.9 (leading the league in 2020), and 16.5 yards per catch during his four years with the Green Bay Packers, and he continued to make plays as a downfield threat on the Kansas City Chiefs. He picked up yards at 16.4 and 15.0 per catch the last two years, so he knows how to take the top off the defense.
One thing that’ll help is Valdes-Scantling’s familiarity with the system: “It’s very similar to the offense I had when I was in Green Bay a couple of years ago, so it’s some carry over there.”
Already possessing knowledge of the offense’s principles will help Valdes-Scantling grasp the Saints’ playbook quickly, and possibly get on the field Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers. Either way, when the coaches call him up, he’s confident he can deliver.
