Latest news with #NewOrleansSaints
USA Today
33 minutes ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Countdown to Kickoff: Kelvin Banks Jr. is the Saints Player of Day 71
Banks was a draft target to fortify the New Orleans front line There are 71 days left until the New Orleans Saints kick off their 2025 regular season. The Saints will start their 59th year of NFL existence at home against the Arizona Cardinals and with a new head coach in Kellen Moore. Offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. is one of the new faces on this year's squad. The Saints' first round choice out of Texas, Banks will be wearing the same No. 71 that was Ryan Ramczyk used while playing at such a high level since 2017. Banks has big shoes to fill, and he is the Saints Player of the Day in our countdown. At Summer Creek High School in Texas, Banks was a five-star recruit pursued by several national NCAA powers. After originally committing to Oregon, Banks switched his decision to Texas. An immediate starter at left tackle for the Longhorns, Banks started every game as a freshman in 2022 and earned 2nd Team All-Big 12 recognition. He'd follow that up with 1st Team All-Big 12 and 2nd Team All-American accolades the following year. In 2024, Banks was viewed as one of the most dominant blockers in the nation. He capped off his collegiate career by starting every game for his three years with the Longhorns. In 2024, Banks was a 1st Team All-SEC selection as well as a unanimous 1st Team All-American. He was also awarded the Outland Trophy, annually given to the best lineman in college football. With the ninth overall choice in the 2025 NFL draft, Banks was selected by the New Orleans Saints. He was the third tackle chosen of eight that came off the board in Round 1 this spring. Banks is expected to step right in as the starting left tackle for New Orleans and was a fixture at the spot throughout OTA sessions and minicamp. Kelvin Banks Jr. is the third offensive tackle drafted as a Round 1 pick by New Orleans in the last three years, joining Taliese Fuaga (2024) and Trevor Penning (2022). The Saints have now spent a first or second round pick on an offensive lineman six times in the last nine years since 2017. Ramczyk (2017) is now retired, but the other five are projected to be the Saints starting offensive line in the 2025 campaign. With Banks projected to be the left tackle, Fuaga will move over to right tackle, where he was a collegiate All-American. Penning will move inside to left guard alongside center Erik McCoy and right guard Cesar Ruiz. The Saints are betting that Kelvin Banks Jr. will be the final piece for what they hope is a dominant line this season.
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
'I f*cking suck': Tyler Shough fires off brutal message after fans doubt his New Orleans Saints future
'I f*cking suck': Tyler Shough fires off brutal message after fans doubt his New Orleans Saints future (Image via Getty) A bravely candid moment from New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback Tyler Shough is gaining traction. He recently appeared on a podcast and said something that shocked many football fans. Tyler Shough did not hold back, and made it pretty clear that he has no fear of floundering in his first NFL season. His candid words signaled that he is confident, determined, and mentally tough. People are now discussing what he said, and his comment is making rounds in sports media and conversations among fans. Tyler Shough says he won't be shaken if he plays poorly In a recent interview on the St. Brown Podcast, New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback Tyler Shough didn't hesitate to show how calm and confident he is. He said, 'I've been carted off the field, I've been booed, I've been an MVP… throw some s— at me, you're not going to faze me if we start off 0-2 or I f—— suck.' — _mlfootball (@_mlfootball) Tyler Shough picked himself late in the second round of the 2025 draft by the New Orleans Saints, and quickly found himself in the mix when veteran Derek Carr retired in May. Now he's among three quarterbacks—along with Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener—fighting for the starting spot. Tyler Shough explained that he's been through a lot before. He grew up playing in college, but injuries and backup roles cut his playing time. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Many Are Watching Tariffs - Few Are Watching What Nvidia Just Launched Seeking Alpha Read Now Undo Still, he kept going. Now, he's taking that experience to the pros, saying even if he starts badly or struggles early, it won't break his spirit. Tyler Shough highlights path and mindset for rookie year Tyler Shough is not a typical rookie. At 6-foot-5, he played for Oregon Ducks, Texas Tech, and Louisville, where he had a strong final year—over 3,100 passing yards and 23 touchdowns. He's 25 now, older than most rookies, and says that helped him build strength and patience. After Derek Carr's sudden retirement, New Orleans Saints coach Kellen Moore said Tyler Shough would be in a true competition for Week 1 starter. But Tyler Shough is putting in the work. He talks about earning respect, getting to know his teammates, and not just assuming the job is his. The story of Tyler Shough is one of true grit and honesty. He is prepared for success, failure, or anything else between— and he has shown that he obviously won't be rattled by the early bumps in his NFL career. Also Read: Derek Carr Retires, And The New Orleans Saints Sign An Undrafted Rookie QB, Hunter Dekkers, Who Was Involved In Illegal Gambling Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
USA Today
19 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Saints veteran eager to see training camp QB competition play out
'When you see two talented guys just competing, it's truly fun to see' All eyes are on the New Orleans Saints quarterback battle this summer, and that includes the big guys up front charged with keeping the passers clean. Veteran right guard Cesar Ruiz spoke about the competition brewing between second-year backup Spencer Rattler and rookie draft pick Tyler Shough on NFL Network's Good Morning Football program Friday morning, and he's already feeling energized by what the two young guns have shown him. "Two different quarterbacks, right?" Ruiz began. "Everybody has their superpower, everybody is good at their thing. Spencer has something, and I'm like, 'Hey, he got that.' Tyler will come in there, and I'm like, 'Hey... This is just talent.' When you see two talented guys just competing, it's truly fun to see." Ruiz acknowledged that, just because the Saints drafted Shough highly at No. 40 overall, it doesn't mean they have to play him if they have a better option. He remembers coming in off the bench to start his rookie season as the No. 24 pick. He remembers seeing a lot of quarterbacks start for New Orleans in his five-year career, too: Derek Carr (27 games) Andy Dalton (14), Drew Brees (12), Jameis Winston (10), Taysom Hill (9), Spencer Rattler (6), and Trevor Siemian (4), plus Ian Book (1) and Jake Haener (1). He continued, via Nick Shook: "That quarterback competition right now is great to see. It's great because it's two young guys who are both gonna leave their footprint somehow, someway in the NFL, and they're both extremely talented. It's just great to see those two compete and learn and just grow. Both of them are competing. Both of them are progressing. I just love seeing the progress of both of them." Like it or not, there isn't a more important position in pro sports than quarterback. No single player more greatly impacts the game than the passer, and the Saints will go as far as Shough or Rattler can take them. It says a lot that, whether the questions were presented this way or not, Ruiz spoke about this as a two-horse race. The Saints also have third-year pro Jake Haener and undrafted rookie QB Hunter Dekkers on the training camp roster, but neither of them are expected to threaten the two guys at the top of the depth chart. Barring a big surprise it'll be either Rattler or Shough leading the huddle in September. And as far as Ruiz is concerned? He trusts his coaches to make the right choice based off how those guys compete later this summer.
Fox Sports
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Fox Sports
Cam Newton, Marshawn Lynch coach up current NFL players on personal branding
LOS ANGELES — Former NFL MVP Cam Newton has certainly not faded into the sunset after his playing days. Through content creation and provocative discussion on his social media channels, Newton has developed a second career after football. And at the NFL's annual Player Personal Branding and Social Workshop this week in Los Angeles, the former Heisman Trophy winner and Super Bowl quarterback encouraged current players to take a similar path. "Use [football] as a tool, not as oxygen," Newton told young NFL players during a breakout session. "It's cool, but once you've leveraged your access and leveraged who you are, that can pay you dividends for years to come." Now in its sixth year, the two-day event offers players insight on entrepreneurship, securing partnerships, getting the most out of social media and other ways to build their brand while still playing in the league. YouTube, which has a partnership with the NFL and will broadcast its first live game this season, hosted the second day of the seminar at the company's facility in Playa Vista. Kim Larson, global head of creators and gaming for YouTube, hammered home the importance of players finding their voice, building relationships and using the resources available to them. Tracy Perlman, senior vice president of player operations, said the NFL partnered with former NFL receiver Larry Fitzgerald to create an event that teaches skills to help players brand themselves during and after their careers. In addition to Fitzgerald, other former players who spoke include burgeoning media creators and TV personalities Ryan Clark, Jason McCourty and Marshawn Lynch, who was not necessarily a willing interview subject during his playing career. "If you're a current player in your first, second or third year, you start thinking about what I aspire to do after football and then try out those things through the programs that we have," Perlman said. "And if you're a veteran on the back end, now you have to start pinpointing, and what does that mean? And how does that impact who you are on the field? "The more you start to let people know who you are while you are playing or as you start transitioning out, the more people are going to start to look for your content, look for your story and follow you as you are doing that." One player on that road is veteran New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson, who has 161,000 followers on Instagram and posts regularly about his family life. "When I first got into social media, you're really kind of lost," Johnson told me. "You're trying to see where you can fit in, where you can help. Honestly, I think it's about really finding my way, how I can represent myself and my family — me being a father and being a football player, because you're also representing a team. So, handling myself on the football field and off the football field is the biggest thing. Being here gives you the tools, but also the access they have to help us out." Entering his second NFL season, Chicago Bears receiver Rome Odunze was an active participant during breakout discussions as he learns to navigate new spaces on social media. "There's a great opportunity here with what the NFL is doing for us with this workshop," Odunze told me. "So I'm just trying to make the most of it. There's so many avenues and spaces that you can step into within this realm. I'm just trying to learn how I want to approach it." Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on X at @eric_d_williams. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Highlighting 3 positions where the Saints got better this offseason
Where did this Saints team improve? Looking back at this past offseason for the New Orleans Saints, there was plenty to be said about the lack of depth and star power on both sides of the ball. While already in a difficult cap situation at the start of March, the Saints managed to make a handful of strategic moves aimed at bringing in contributors without sacrificing long-term flexibility. Most importantly, the team retained its draft capital and selected nine players in hopes of forming a young, sustainable core under new head coach Kellen Moore. With an aging roster filled with veterans no longer playing at their peak, it was clear that improvement was needed across the board. Fortunately for New Orleans, several key position groups saw notable upgrades--both through the draft and free agency. Here's a look at the positions where the Saints got better this offseason: Offensive line Coming into the offseason, the Saints faced major questions along the offensive line--particularly at left guard and right tackle. While 2024 first-round pick Taliese Fuaga had a solid rookie campaign, and the interior features Pro Bowl center Erik McCoy and steady right guard Cesar Ruiz, the rest of the line lacked clarity. With Lucas Patrick departing and Trevor Penning still an unknown at tackle, the team needed to solidify those spots. With their first pick in this year's draft, they addressed the most pressing concern by selecting Kevin Banks Jr., a plug-and-play starter at left tackle. This move allows Fuaga to slide to his natural position at right tackle and gives the Saints flexibility with Penning, who could slide inside to left guard--a position many believe may better suit his skill set. Additionally, the signing of veteran Dillon Radunz provides valuable insurance at both tackle and guard, giving the Saints a more stable and versatile unit up front as they head into the 2025 season. Defensive tackle After finishing with a bottom-three run defense last season, the Saints had major work to do up front. Instead of overhauling the entire defensive tackle group, the team opted to retain veterans like Nathan Shepherd and Khalen Saunders while strategically adding new pieces to the mix. Their first major move came early in the offseason with the signing of Davon Godchaux, one of the league's premier nose tackles and a Louisiana native coming over from New England. To further bolster the interior, the Saints used their first third-round pick on Texas defensive tackle Vernon Broughton, adding a dose of athleticism and youth to a unit in need of fresh legs and improved disruption. Safety The safety position saw a quiet but meaningful overhaul this offseason as the Saints worked to get younger, more versatile, and deeper on the back end. With Tyrann Mathieu entering the twilight of his career and no answer beside him, the team knew they needed to add quickly. The headliner of this year's free agent class safety Justin Reid, signed with the team after a strong run with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he played a key role in two Super Bowl titles. Reid brings a unique skillset to the safety room as a physical downhill thumper, who can lock up tight ends and limit running backs out of the backfield. The Saints then used a third-round selection on Virginia's Jonas Sanker, a physical and instinctive safety with long-term starter potential. With Jordan Howden also returning for his second year, the Saints now have a well-rounded safety room that blends youth, versatility, and veteran stability.
