Surprisingly, the New Orleans Saints offense got off to a fast start on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers.
On a third-and-4 during New Orleans’ opening drive, Saints quarterback Derek Carr threw a 59-yard touchdown pass to third-year wide receiver Rashid Shaheed, giving New Orleans a 6-0 lead. Saints kicker Blake Grupe made the extra-point attempt.
In 2023, Carr signed a four-year, $150M deal with New Orleans but failed to lead the Saints to their first playoff appearance since 2020. In 17 starts, he went 9-8 and averaged 228.1 passing yards per game, the second-lowest mark of his career.
Shaheed, meanwhile, broke out last season. In 15 games, he scored a career-high five receiving touchdowns and earned a first-team All-Pro nod as a punt returner.
This offseason, the Saints signed Shaheed to a one-year, $5.2M deal, which could be a smart move. The 26-year-old pass catcher could become a reliable target for Carr, helping the Saints offense find its groove early in the season.
