These overlooked players may have a bigger impact than expected for New Orleans this season.
As the New Orleans Saints turn the page and begin their next chapter, depth players will need to step up if the team hopes to stay competitive in a relatively weak division. With that in mind, here are three guys I believe aren’t getting enough attention but could end up playing a much bigger role than initially anticipated.
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WR – Cedrick Wilson Jr.
During the 2024 offseason, New Orleans agreed to terms with veteran WR Cedrick Wilson Jr. on a two-year, $5.7 million deal, hoping he could somewhat replicate the over-the-middle role once held by Saints legend Michael Thomas.
Ultimately, his first year in the Big Easy didn’t go as planned. Wilson struggled to find a rhythm, finishing the season with just 211 receiving yards on 20 receptions and one touchdown, along with two drops on 28 targets across 15 games.
Standing at 6-foot-2 and 197 pounds, the 30-year-old was expected to be a dependable third option for Derek Carr behind Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, particularly on short and intermediate routes. However, his usage may not have matched his skill set. Wilson saw just 163 snaps in the slot compared to 218 out wide—despite historically thriving on the inside.
That’s why I believe a reunion with new Saints head coach and play-caller Kellen Moore could be what Wilson needs to revive his career. The two previously found success together with the Dallas Cowboys, where Wilson had a breakout season in 2021. Under Moore’s scheme, he hauled in 50 passes on 71 targets for 664 receiving yards and six touchdowns—logging 500 snaps in the slot compared to just 85 outside. He also recorded six contested catches on 13 attempts (46.2%) and earned a career-best 71.7 receiving grade from Pro Football Focus.
A former sixth-round pick by the Cowboys in the 2018 NFL Draft out of Boise State—where Moore played from 2007 to 2011—Wilson has shown he can be a reliable target in the right system. With the Saints still in need of a big-bodied receiver, Moore may be able to maximize Wilson’s role more effectively in 2025—though I wouldn’t rule out guys like Bub Means or Donovan Peoples-Jones either.
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CB – Isaac Yiadom
I was ecstatic when the Saints announced they were reuniting with veteran defensive back Isaac Yiadom on a three-year, $9 million deal—a price I’d argue is a steal considering what he brings to the table.
The 29-year-old spent last season with the San Francisco 49ers along with new Saints defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, who served as assistant head coach under Kyle Shanahan in 2024.
Yiadom wrapped up his lone season in San Francisco under Staley with one interception and three pass breakups on 320 coverage snaps and 38 targets, along with 39 tackles, 10 stops and a forced fumble, according to PFF. He’s also spent a lot of time on special teams throughout his career and played 247 snaps in that role last season.
However, I like to look back at his 2023 season when the Saints were battling a number of injuries in the secondary and guys like Yiadom and Ugo Amadi stepped up. That season, Yiadom was tied for sixth among all defensive backs with his 11 pass breakups, while also adding an interception on his 319 coverage snaps and 44 targets, earning himself a career-high 80.4 coverage grade from PFF. His 25 tackles, 10 stops and one pressure also helped him achieve his career-high defensive grade of 81.1 overall. Yiadom saw 265 snaps on special teams during his brief stint in New Orleans.
I expect Yiadom to put up a legitimate fight to be the second starting outside corner alongside Kool-Aid McKinstry, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up coming away with the job—especially since fourth-round rookie CB Quincy Riley might not be ready to start yet as he recovers from a pre-draft procedure.
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DE – Jasheen Davis
One of my favorite undrafted free agent signings that I don’t think is getting talked about enough is defensive end Jasheen Davis, who received $30K guaranteed.
The 6-foot-3, 251-pound edge rusher out of Wake Forest recorded the second-most tackles for loss in program history with 51 and finished third in sacks with 25.5. He also posted 12+ tackles for loss and 40+ quarterback pressures in each of the last three seasons.
Davis isn’t the typical Saints pass rusher, as the team usually targets prospects with higher Relative Athletic Scores. He posted a 4.81 out of a possible 10.00, ranking 1,055th out of 2,030 defensive ends from 1987 to 2025. While he flashes impressive closing speed, he can sometimes be exposed in the run game. Still, his college production was too intriguing to pass up. Often relying on raw speed, if he can add some power to his game, he could carve out a role as a stand-up edge rusher in Brandon Staley’s 3-4 scheme.
While I’m eager to see how he looks in training camp, it’s also worth noting that Trajan Jeffcoat—a 2024 UDFA out of Arkansas who impressed last offseason before missing his rookie year with an elbow injury—signed a reserve/future deal with New Orleans at the end of the season. The Saints also selected Syracuse edge rusher Fadil Diggs in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, so Davis will have his work cut out for him early.