Most Concerning Question Mark Saints Face With Rookie Player

The New Orleans Saints drafted Barion Brown out of LSU most likely to take over return duties immediately. SCOTT CLAUSE / USATODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Most Concerning Question Mark Saints Face With Rookie Player

Originally posted on New Orleans Saints on SI
By Jim Derry | Last updated May 12, 2026 12:38 PM ET

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When the New Orleans Saints traded wide receiver Rashid Shaheed to the eventual Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks on Nov. 4, 2025, the team created a much larger hole for themselves than missing a WR2.

Rather, it left a gaping hole at who would return punts. That question mark may or may not have been answered in the NFL Draft last month.

Oh, and the player who led the team in punt returns, Dante Pettis, is a free agent and is unlikely to return to New Orleans.

So who does that leave? The team addressed the position by selecting speedy wide receiver Barion Brown out of LSU in the sixth round.

He almost certainly becomes the Day 1 kickoff-return man for the Saints. The player who finished with the most kickoff returns for the team last year was backup running back Kendre Miller, who very well could be taken out of the role if Alvin Kamara doesn’t return and he becomes RB2. (He could be taken out of the role, anyway.)

In his final collegiate season in Baton Rouge, Brown returned 15 kickoffs for 445 yards (a nearly 30-yard average), including a 99-yard return for a touchdown against Houston in the Texas Bowl.

Throughout his time in college at LSU and Kentucky, he returned six kickoffs for touchdowns, which is one shy of the NCAA record. With the Wildcats for three seasons, Brown had 3,273 all-purpose yards – 1,528 receiving, 1,465 kickoff returns, 195 rushing and 85 punt returns.

What about punt returns? It very well could be Brown by default, although if third-year wide receiver Mason Tipton makes the team, he would push for that job.

Barion Brown has interrupted his own Zoom call five or six times to yell stuff like “let’s go” and “let’s do it.” Needless to say … VERY excited to join the Saints. pic.twitter.com/QGoiiQqFgQ
— Jeff Nowak (@Jeff_Nowak) April 25, 2026

The Saints clearly addressed their worst spot on special teams when they brought in free-agent punter Ryan Wright from Minnesota and shipped Kai Kroeger to Houston. They instantly move from the worst team in net yards to one of the best, as Wright was third in the NFL in 2025.

Charlie Smyth will head into this season as the overwhelming favorite to be the starting kicker, as he took the job from Blake Grupe after the Week 12 loss to Atlanta.

This article first appeared on New Orleans Saints on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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