The New Orleans Saints have a mountain of skepticism to climb as they head into training camp. Yet, Ran Carthon sees a path out of the wilderness. The former Tennessee Titans general manager isn’t selling blind hope; he points to cold, hard roster upgrades. He likes the continuity of quarterback Tyler Shough staying under Kellen Moore’s tutelage, the high-profile acquisition of running back Travis Etienne Jr., and the draft-day steal of rookie wideout Jordyn Tyson. To Carthon, these moves signal a potential leap forward for the franchise in 2026.
Carthon laid out his theory on SiriusXM, speaking with host Bill Lekas. He emphasized the value of having an offensive mastermind at the helm. Kellen Moore is still regarded as one of the sharpest young play-callers in the business. He has already proven he can orchestrate high-flying offenses in Dallas and Philadelphia. Now, he gets to build on the foundation he laid in New Orleans last year.
That stability is a luxury in today’s NFL. Shough enters his second season with the exact same head coach and playbook. Compare that to his 2026 draft classmates. Cam Ward, Jaxson Dart, and Shedeur Sanders are all starting from scratch with new coaches and entirely different systems. For a young quarterback trying to cement his status as the franchise savior, familiarity isn’t just nice. It is everything.
Saints general manager Mickey Loomis didn’t sit on his hands after committing to Shough for Year 2. The front office got aggressive. Trading for or signing Etienne was a massive statement of intent. Carthon is particularly fascinated by how Etienne will share the workload with veteran star Alvin Kamara, assuming Kamara remains on the roster through the summer.
Carthon envisions a dynamic backfield. He believes pairing Etienne with Kamara will give Saints fans a heavy dose of nostalgia, mimicking the old-school, two-headed monster of Kamara and Mark Ingram. It is a formula that worked brilliantly before, and it could easily work again.
Then there is the wide receiver room. Carthon didn’t hold back his praise for Tyson, the former Arizona State standout. In his eyes, Tyson was the premier receiver in the entire draft class. His presence should immediately take the defensive heat off Chris Olave.
According to Carthon, Tyson was the only rookie wideout who consistently put up true number-one receiver tape. He is versatile. You can line him up outside at X or Z, or let him cause matchup nightmares from the slot. He is a pure playmaker.
This gives the Saints a much more balanced arsenal. Olave can stretch the field vertically, while Tyson operates as a chess piece for Moore to move around the formation.
Carthon also highlighted rookie tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. as a potential anchor on the offensive line, while noting that Kaden Elliss’ defensive versatility will keep opponents guessing. After a dismal 6-11 campaign in 2025, the pressure is on. New Orleans has to turn this paper optimism into actual victories. Going from the division cellar to the top spot is a brutal task, but with Shough’s growth and Moore’s creative play-calling, Carthon thinks they have a fighting chance.
