NEW ORLEANS -- The New Orleans Saints' 2026 training camp runs from July 29 to Aug. 27 at their training facility in Metairie. The Saints will also hold five practices in California, with joint practices against the Los Angeles Rams and Dallas Cowboys.
Coach Kellen Moore's second offseason has been a balance of adding fresh faces and finding a way to keep veterans in the fold for one more season. The Saints will welcome Cameron Jordan and Alvin Kamara back for one more year, while seemingly moving on from Taysom Hill. Longtime veteran Demario Davis is also gone after he signed with the New York Jets in free agency, while Kaden Elliss will return to the Saints to take over that role.
It's also quarterback Tyler Shough's first full season as a starter, and how Shough performs will set the tone for training camp and the regular season to come.
Here's a closer look at what we are watching at camp:
How does Shough perform in Year 2?
Shough injected instant excitement into the 2025 season after taking over for Spencer Rattler, and the Saints ended last year with positive momentum. He has done all the right things since then, from outings in the community to paying his teammates' way so they could meet and work out with him in California this summer.
That won't mean much long term if Shough doesn't perform on the field in his first season as a full-time starter. He'll need to hit the ground running with two tough away games against the Baltimore Ravens and Detroit Lions to start this season.
Three players to watch
WR Jordyn Tyson. The rookie did limited work during the first portion of the offseason due to what Moore called part of a maintenance plan because of the receiver's injury history. All eyes will be on the first-round pick on the first day of camp to see if the Saints are ready to unleash him, or if they'll continue to be cautious.
RB Kendre Miller. Miller's career has been hampered by injuries, and he'll be nine months out from an ACL tear when training camp begins. Miller likely needs to have the best camp of his career to make the roster after playing only half a season in each of his three years with the Saints.
DT Davon Godchaux. The Saints didn't use the 31-year-old much toward the end of the season, and his $7 million cap number is a high one. (The same scenario applies to Nathan Shepherd, but he played more overall snaps last season.) Do the Saints go with the veteran Godchaux or try to mold some younger players with less expensive contracts instead?
Key position battles
Wide receiver: The top two wideouts are set with Chris Olave and Tyson, but there are questions about how the Saints will fill out the group. Do they keep all three draft picks (Tyson, Bryce Lance and Barion Brown) despite the fact that the Saints consider Lance a developmental player?
Additionally, do they go with five wideouts or six, with Brown filling out the roster as a kick returner? It seems likely Devaughn Vele will make the roster after showing potential once he got a shot last season, but what about Trey Palmer and Ja'Lynn Polk, neither of whom played in 2025? This will be an interesting competition to watch all summer.
Kicker: Charlie Smyth, who came to the Saints via the International Player Pathway program, might have a leg up after finishing out the 2025 season as the Saints' primary kicker. But he certainly doesn't have the job locked down after New Orleans signed Tanner Brown from the UFL. Smyth has been kicking an American football for only three years and his biggest area of growth will be his consistency.
He has the ability to make long kicks, but so does Brown, who was 3-for-3 on field goals of 60 or more yards during his 2026 season with the Louisville Kings. This could be a competition that goes down to the wire in camp.
Backup quarterback: The Saints have made it clear during the offseason that they like Rattler, even though he is no longer in the running for the starting position after being benched midway through the 2025 season. If the 53-man roster projection were based on that and OTAs and minicamp alone, then Rattler would be the backup.
The question is whether the Saints like Zach Wilson and his three years of starting experience enough to elevate him above Rattler, or if they would try to move Rattler elsewhere. The Saints guaranteed Wilson $600,000, so they clearly liked the signing. If they are having trouble deciding between the two backups, do they keep three quarterbacks like last season?
Keep an eye on: The two running backs
The Kamara saga is finally over after he reached an agreement to play for the Saints in 2026 for a reduced price. The Saints will now have the ability to put him alongside newcomer Travis Etienne Jr.
The two-back arrangement worked very well when Kamara was younger and playing with players such as Mark Ingram and Latavius Murray. Kamara is coming off the worst statistical season of his career and turns 31 before camp. However, if the Saints can find a way to balance the offensive snaps for the two backs, they might be able to keep them both fresh throughout the season, which would be a boost to their offense.
Saints' 53-man roster projection
QB (3): Tyler Shough, Spencer Rattler, Zach Wilson
RB (4): Alvin Kamara, Travis Etienne Jr., Devin Neal, Audric Estime
WR (6): Chris Olave, Jordyn Tyson, Devaughn Vele, Barion Brown, Ja'Lynn Polk, Bryce Lance
TE (4): Juwan Johnson, Noah Fant, Oscar Delp, Moliki Matavao
OL (9): Erik McCoy, Kelvin Banks Jr., Cesar Ruiz, Taliese Fuaga, David Edwards, Jeremiah Wright, Asim Richards, Dillon Radunz, William Sherman
DL (10): Cameron Jordan, Chase Young, Carl Granderson, Tyree Wilson, Anfernee Jennings, Nathan Shepherd, Bryan Bresee, Vernon Broughton, John Ridgeway III, Christen Miller
LB (5): Kaden Elliss, Pete Werner, Danny Stutsman, Jaylan Ford, Isaiah Stalbird
CB (5): Kool-Aid McKinstry, Martin Emerson Jr., Isaac Yiadom, Quincy Riley, Lorenzo Styles Jr.
S (4): Julian Blackmon, Justin Reid, Jordan Howden, Jonas Sanker
SPECIALISTS (3): Zach Wood (LS), Charlie Smyth (K), Ryan Wright (P)