In 2024 at Louisville, Tyler Shough was the starting quarterback and Chris Bell was a starting wide receiver. A reunion could be coming on the Saints in 2026.
That’s the word from Bell, who said at Louisville’s Pro Day that Shough has been talking him up within the Saints organization and trying to get them to draft Bell.
“He said he wants me so bad, and he’s been pushing my name,” Bell said, via Sarandon Raboin of WHAS 11.
Bell caught 43 passes for 737 yards and four touchdowns as a junior, with Shough as his quarterback. In 2025, Bell had career-bests of 72 catches for 917 yards and six touchdowns.
The well-traveled Zach Wilson will be traveling to the NFC for the first time.
Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football reports that the Saints will sign Wilson to a free-agent deal.
Wilson, the second overall pick in the 2021 draft, started 13 games as a rookie and nine in 2022. Supplanted by Aaron Rodgers in 2023, a Week 1 torn Achilles for Rodgers threw Wilson back into the fray; Wilson ultimately appeared in 12 games that year, with 11 starts.
In 2024, Wilson served as a backup to Bo Nix in Denver, after being traded by the Jets to the Broncos. Wilson didn’t play at all that year.
He signed a free-agent deal with the Dolphins in 2025. He appeared in four games with no starts. After Tua Tagovailoa was benched, rookie Quinn Ewers was elevated to the first string.
Wilson joins Tyler Shough and Spencer Rattler on the depth chart. Shough became the clear starter in 2025, given his performances after he replaced Rattler as the team’s starting quarterback.
Safety Terrell Burgess is set to return for a second season with the Saints.
Mike Garafolo of NFL Media reports that Burgess has agreed to re-sign with the team. No terms of the deal have been reported.
Burgess appeared in 16 games as a defensive backup and regular on special teams last year. He had 22 tackles and three passes defensed in that action.
Burgess missed the 2024 season after a summer injury. He had 25 tackles in 12 games for Washington in 2023 and had 29 tackles in 30 games for the Rams over his first three seasons in the league. He also played in one game for the Giants during the 2022 season.
One of the top receivers in this year’s draft has been a busy pre-draft schedule, including meeting with an NFC South team in the top 10.
Via Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, former USC receiver Makai Lemon is working out for the Saints on Tuesday.
New Orleans has the No. 8 overall pick this year.
Additionally, Lemon has worked out for the Commanders, who select at No. 7 overall. He visited with the Browns (No. 6) last week and will visit with the Titans (No. 4) this week.
Lemon became one of the top prospects for this year’s draft by catching 79 passes for 1,156 yards with 11 touchdowns as a junior in 2025. He caught 52 passes for 764 yards with three TDs in 2024.
The Lions have added some defensive depth.
Detroit announced on Friday that the club has signed lineman Payton Turner.
Turner, 27, was with the Cowboys last season. But he missed the year after being placed on injured reserve in late August after suffering a rib injury.
A former first-round pick, Turner spent his first four seasons with New Orleans. His most productive year was in 2024, when he appeared in 16 games and recorded 21 total tackles with 2.0 sacks.
In his 31 career contests, Turner has tallied 5.0 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, and 11 quarterback hits.
