When teams have positions of need that have to be addressed over the offseason, fans tend to want answers with big names in free agency. For the New Orleans Saints, many expected that would be the case when it came to filling out a diminishing wide receiver room. However, since the offseason began, Michael Thomas’s return became more evident, the team retained Deonte Harty on a restricted free agent tender, and the Saints also re-signed 2018 third-round pick Tre’Quan Smith. Despite those moves though, it’s evident that New Orleans still has work to do.
The Saints have made that apparent themselves. They were in pursuit of now-Chiefs receiver Marques Valdes-Scantling and both head coach Dennis Allen and general manager Mickey Loomis pointed out the need at the position with Loomis highlighting that there’s “work to do.” But the hopes of adding a receiver in free agency that moves the needle is deteriorating. The best players are off the board, leaving options who are either too injured, too old, or too expensive for New Orleans’ liking.
So the Saints, who could still add a veteran like Will Fuller V for the sake of a veteran presence and deep threat, may be looking a different direction: the 2022 NFL draft. Year after year, we see rookie receivers make an immediate impact for their teams fresh out of the draft. Justin Jefferson, DK Metcalf, Ja’Marr Chase, and many others continue to help their teams right off the bat. New Orleans, who have not invested much at wideout in the draft for years now, could have their eyes on their own immediate impact receiver.
They have the scouting talent to make it happen with Jeff Ireland, but they also have it within their coaching staff. This offseason, the Saints revamped some key positions on staff in adding wide receivers coach Kodi Burns and senior offensive assistant Bob Bicknell, bringing two very successful track records in developing receivers.
Burns, previously with Auburn and the Tennessee Volunteers, helped to produce several drafted pass-catchers over the years. Most recently, he flipped Volunteers wideout Cedric Tillman from a quiet 67 receiving yard season in 2020 to a 1,081-yard production machine in 2021, marking the first time a Tennessee receiver reached the 1,000-yard mark since 2012. He helped Tillman cap that off with 12 receiving touchdowns as well.
After one year in Knoxville, while changing Tillman’s trajectory, Burns has helped Velus Jones Jr. raise his stock on the opposite side. Jones is expected to be drafted this season, he maybe even be a name to watch for the Saints. Burns has also helped to develop recently drafted Auburn receivers like Darius Slayton (who could be a veteran trade target), Anthony Schwartz, and Seth Williams.
Meanwhile, a quietly important hiring accompanied Burns with the addition of Bicknell. The former Bengals wide receiver coach helped turn Tyler Boyd into a fantasy football hero and assisted in the college-to-pro transition of Tee Higgins. Bicknell immediately helped Boyd achieve a massive leap in production in 2018. See for yourself:
- 2016: 603 yards and 1 touchdown reception
- 2017: 225 yards and 2 touchdown receptions
- 2018 (Bicknell arrives): 1,028 yards and 7 touchdown receptions
- 2019: 1,046 yards and 5 touchdown receptions
- 2020: 851 yards and 4 touchdown receptions
Meanwhile Higgins, a 2020 second round pick, piled on 68 receptions, 908 yards, and 6 touchdown catches in his 2020 rookie year. Developing kind of output from a first-year receiver is exactly what the Saints would love to see in New Orleans in 2022.
Taking advantage of another deep wide receiver class should not be something New Orleans is hesitant about this season. With the natural talent at the position in today’s NFL draft classes, Burns’ ability to identify and teach the most appropriate role for a receiver’s skillset, and Bicknell’s experience turning young wideouts into 1,000-yard receivers, the team has the pieces necessary to go all-in at wide receiver in this year’s draft.
