Olave Gets His Wish - But at What Cost?
The New Orleans Saints made a painful move on Tuesday, trading wide receiver Rashid Shaheed to the Seattle Seahawks. As the now former Saint packs his bags, he is sure to leave some big shoes to fill.
Shaheed was their go-to guy when it came to big shots down the field. Yes, his fellow wide receiver Chris Olave has caught some, but not nearly as much when compared to himself. Over the years, Shaheed has made highlight after highlight of turning defensive backs into burnt toast, most recently against the New York Giants.
Then there's the case of his presence on special teams. Since arriving in the National Football League as an undrafted free agent back in 2022, he could be seen returning kicks and punts and has gathered two punt return touchdowns and one kick return touchdown in his career.
It's on Chris Olave to fill the field stretching void Rashid Shaheed leaves in the Saints offense
I don't think it's possible for the Saints to just grab one player and expect them to do what Rashid Shaheed was able to do. It's going to take a group effort, but it starts with Chris Olave. Olave clamored to be a three level threat this offseason. Shaheed took most of those opportunities, but maybe Olave gets what he was looking for now.
Olave made his most pronounced splash of the season against the Chicago Bears on a deep shot from Spencer Rattler. The change is at quarterback, not Olave's ability. He may have to lean into Shaheed's lane stylistically and take on a larger workload.
There's also Mason Tipton, a wide receiver who stood out in the offseason but has yet to make any impact at all in the regular season. He's primarily a special teamer, and he'll get a larger role in that facet. He's also a player who can stretch the field. Tipton wouldn't be the all around threat of Olave but rather a deep ball specialist. It won't result in a lot of targets, but he could carve out a role moving foward nonetheless.
We must also not forget about wide receiver Trey Palmer. The Saints claimed the speedy receiver off waivers, but an akle injury has kept him on injured reserve. There's a chance he could come back this season, and he'd be another viable threat down the field.
Bo-ring Broncos: Stephen A. Smith Says Bo Nix Is the NFL’s Best Sleep Aid
After winning against the Las Vegas Raiders on November 6, Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos improved to 8-2. That should generally excite folks, but
Over the past several weeks, Nix and his team have proved that they are not a team to count out, no matter what lead their opponent holds.
Scoring 33 points in the 4th quarter one week, and then demolishing the Dallas Cowboys a week later, it seemed the Broncos had arrived, and were threatening to upset the top order.
Then came their 3-point win against the Houston Texans. In that game, Nix connected on barely above 50% of his passes, throwing up questions about his worth, as well as that of the offense.
Despite that, there was hope that the team would rebound with a statement win against the lowly Las Vegas Raiders in Week 10. The final score read 7-10 in Broncos favor, to which Stephen A. Smith had this reaction:
I’ve been drugged up on pain medication because of the tooth surgery, and I’ve had a very, very difficult time sleeping over the last 2 and a half weeks… I can’t get to sleep until last night… Because I watched this Broncos offense go 3 and out 8 different times… This is atrocious… Their offense looks like straight trash.
Stephen A. Smith said on First Take
The ESPN analyst went on to say that it is clear that the Broncos’ defense is dragging the team to such an impressive record, as it is evident that Bo Nix and the offense are struggling.
Stephen A. Smith hopes Sean Payton does better
While talking about the poor performance from Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos offense, Stephen A. Smith highlighted that the unit has no shortage of talent.
He talked about how the stud wide receiver group has struggled with mediocre production. Smith also threw light on about how Nix has connected on just 56% of his passes in the past 4 games. Therefore, it is up to the head coach to sort this mess.
This is a Super Bowl champion coach we are talking about in Sean Payton, who is known for his offensive genius, and he is the play caller. I was happy to hear him say he has to do better, because he HAS to do better.
Stephen A. Smith said
The 58-year-old went on to say that the Broncos’ current record does not reveal the true performance of the team. Smith added that unless the offense makes strides, it will be difficult for them to get past the first round of the playoffs.
Former Broncos star bats for Bo Nix amidst struggles
Bo Nix was heralded as the next great quarterback prospect, and his performances in certain games have helped him live up to that hype. However, these last few games have knocked his reputation. Despite that, former Broncos star
His QBR against good teams that shows you he raises his play when he has to. When you got a defense like Bo got, you don’t have to come out and be superman every week.
Aqib Talib said on The Arena
The former Super Bowl 50-winning cornerback knows a thing or two about what a defense-led team can do. He believes Nix elevates his game when the opposition demands it.
Talib referenced the 25-year-old’s performances in the 4th quarter to make his point. He believes Nix will rise when the stakes are high, and that proves he is a franchise quarterback.
