Tyler Shough is not waiting until training camp to take ownership of the New Orleans Saints’ offense.
The second-year quarterback is paying for an estimated 18 teammates to fly to San Diego this summer for a throwing retreat, according to ESPN’s Katherine Terrell. The trip also includes help from former Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who assisted Shough with finding a workout facility and throwing location in the Del Mar area.
That is the kind of offseason detail that matters for a young quarterback entering his first full season as the Saints’ starter. Shough is trying to turn a strong finish to the 2025 season into something more lasting, and he is doing it by building chemistry before the team reports back for camp.
The New Orleans Saints did not get a perfect spring runway for Tyler Shough and the offense.
That is what makes his summer plan more meaningful. OTAs and minicamp are already limited by NFL rules, and the Saints were also working around a skill group that was not fully available. Chris Olave was limited. First-round pick Jordyn Tyson missed time. Other receivers and running backs were unavailable at points, which made the spring more about installation and alignment than true offensive rhythm.
Shough can’t fix all of that in one week in California. But he can give the Saints something they did not fully get in Metairie: uninterrupted throwing time with the players who will help define his first full season as the starter.
That is the real value of the trip. It is not just a quarterback organizing a feel-good bonding session. It is Shough recognizing that timing with receivers does not automatically appear once training camp opens. The Saints need his footwork, reads and ball placement tied to the routes his receivers actually run. They need young players to hear his cadence, adjust to his tempo and learn what he expects outside the structure of practice scripts.
For a quarterback trying to win over a locker room, paying for teammates to attend sends its own message. Shough is putting resources behind the role the Saints are asking him to own.
Drew Brees’ Help Gives the Plan More Weight
Drew Brees’ involvement also keeps the story from being just another offseason throwing note.
Shough told ESPN that Brees helped with the workout facility and throwing location in the Del Mar area. That does not mean Brees is taking over the week or turning it into a formal quarterback clinic. But it does connect Shough’s preparation to the player who still represents the Saints’ gold standard at the position.
That matters in New Orleans, where quarterback play is always measured against the longest shadow in franchise history.
Shough does not need to mimic Brees’ career arc for the connection to be useful. The value is more practical than symbolic. Brees understood how much of NFL quarterbacking happens before the ball is snapped and before the season starts: route detail, trust, repetition, timing and ownership.
If Shough is borrowing even a small piece of that approach, it is a smart use of the Saints’ past.
It also shows an awareness of the moment. Shough is not stepping into a patient rebuild with no expectations. The Saints ended last season with enough late momentum to make 2026 feel like something more than a reset. The next step is proving that finish was not just a short hot stretch, and Shough’s command of the offense will be central to that answer.
Chris Olave Could Make the Trip Matter More
The most important football piece may be Olave.
Olave told ESPN he expects to be full-go for training camp after being limited this offseason while on blood thinners following a blood clot late in the 2025 season. He also said he plans to participate in Shough’s California workouts.
That gives the trip a clearer purpose. Shough needs time with young receivers, but his connection with Olave could shape the ceiling of the Saints’ passing game. If Olave is ready to work, even in a controlled setting, those reps can help make up for some of what the offense missed during the spring.
There is also a roster-wide benefit. Tyson needs timing with Shough as he enters his rookie season. Bryce Lance earned more spring work because of the absences around him. The Saints’ depth receivers need a chance to show they can be trusted before camp competitions tighten.
That is where Shough’s plan can create real value. The Saints do not need July headlines. They need cleaner practices in August, fewer wasted reps and a quarterback who looks like he has already started building ownership of the offense.
A summer retreat will not decide whether Shough is the long-term answer in New Orleans. But it can reveal how seriously he views the job.
For now, the message is clear: Shough is not waiting for the Saints’ offense to come together once camp begins. He is trying to bring part of it with him.
New Orleans Saints QB Tyler Shough Gets Drew Brees News Before Camp