Michael Thomas (ankle surgery) will likely miss at least the first month of the season. TreQuan Smith (leg) has been sidelined recently at training camp; so has Deonte Harris. Marquez Callaway has been operating as the team's No. 1 wideout by default, and it doesn't sound like it would be shocking if he opens the season there, too.
The Smith injury isn't serious, apparently; both he and Harris could be back at practice this week. But Smith has never done much with his opportunities as a starter in New Orleans, and Harris is tiny (5-6, 170) -- and might be suspended to start the season after a DUI arrest. Callaway, undrafted out of Tennessee a year ago, is looking very likely to open the season as a starter.
So far, so good: beat writers were talking him up in camp reports last week. Callaway has good size (6-2, 204) and did well with his opportunities a year ago, catching 21 of 27 passes thrown his way. The next undrafted wideout success story? It looks possible.
New Orleans, as it happens, has some experience with finding successful undrafted wideouts. This century, its players have accounted for 5 of the top 50 seasons by a wide receiver who wasn't drafted: three by Lance Moore, and two by Willie Snead. Those guys had the advantage of working with Drew Brees, which won't be the case for Callaway, but clearly the Saints aren't afraid to give those guys significant work. And in 2021, they might not have any choice.
TOP UNDRAFTED WIDE RECEIVERS, 2001-2020 | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | Tgt | No | Yds | TD | PPR | Rk |
2011 | Wes Welker, N.E. | 173 | 122 | 1569 | 9 | 335.9 | 2 |
2001 | Rod Smith, Den. | 172 | 113 | 1343 | 11 | 318.0 | 3 |
2018 | Adam Thielen, Min. | 153 | 113 | 1373 | 9 | 309.3 | 7 |
2012 | Wes Welker, N.E. | 174 | 118 | 1354 | 6 | 291.4 | 7 |
2011 | Victor Cruz, NYG | 131 | 82 | 1536 | 9 | 289.9 | 3 |
2009 | Wes Welker, N.E. | 162 | 123 | 1348 | 4 | 285.4 | 4 |
2007 | Wes Welker, N.E. | 145 | 112 | 1175 | 8 | 280.9 | 10 |
2009 | Miles Austin, Dall. | 124 | 81 | 1320 | 11 | 278.8 | 6 |
2004 | Drew Bennett, Ten. | 144 | 80 | 1247 | 11 | 277.2 | 8 |
2015 | Doug Baldwin, Sea. | 103 | 78 | 1069 | 14 | 268.9 | 11 |
2012 | Victor Cruz, NYG | 143 | 86 | 1092 | 10 | 255.2 | 14 |
2020 | Adam Thielen, Min. | 108 | 74 | 925 | 14 | 254 | 10 |
2016 | Doug Baldwin, Sea. | 125 | 94 | 1128 | 7 | 253.8 | 8 |
2008 | Wes Welker, N.E. | 149 | 111 | 1165 | 3 | 250.1 | 10 |
2017 | Adam Thielen, Min. | 142 | 91 | 1276 | 4 | 243.7 | 9 |
2006 | Mike Furrey, Det. | 146 | 98 | 1086 | 6 | 242.6 | 13 |
2004 | Rod Smith, Den. | 136 | 79 | 1144 | 7 | 238.7 | 15 |
2005 | Rod Smith, Den. | 126 | 85 | 1105 | 6 | 232.2 | 13 |
2008 | Lance Moore, N.O. | 121 | 79 | 928 | 10 | 231.8 | 15 |
2010 | Miles Austin, Dall. | 119 | 69 | 1041 | 7 | 230.4 | 13 |
2015 | Allen Hurns, Jac. | 105 | 64 | 1031 | 10 | 227.1 | 19 |
2020 | Robby Anderson, Car. | 136 | 95 | 1096 | 3 | 226.1 | 19 |
2011 | Nate Washington, Ten. | 121 | 74 | 1023 | 7 | 224.8 | 15 |
2017 | Doug Baldwin, Sea. | 116 | 75 | 991 | 8 | 223.3 | 13 |
2002 | Rod Smith, Den. | 147 | 89 | 1027 | 5 | 222.6 | 18 |
2016 | Tyrell Williams, S.D. | 119 | 69 | 1059 | 7 | 216.9 | 19 |
2010 | Wes Welker, N.E. | 123 | 86 | 848 | 7 | 212.8 | 18 |
2013 | Wes Welker, Den. | 111 | 73 | 778 | 10 | 210.8 | 21 |
2020 | Cole Beasley, Buff. | 107 | 82 | 967 | 4 | 207.7 | 27 |
2012 | Lance Moore, N.O. | 104 | 65 | 1041 | 6 | 205.1 | 21 |
2017 | Robby Anderson, NYJ | 114 | 63 | 941 | 7 | 200.0 | 18 |
2001 | James Thrash, Phil. | 108 | 63 | 833 | 8 | 200.0 | 26 |
2015 | Kamar Aiken, Balt. | 127 | 75 | 944 | 5 | 199.4 | 29 |
2001 | Bill Schroeder, G.B. | 93 | 53 | 918 | 9 | 199.4 | 27 |
2016 | Adam Thielen, Min. | 92 | 69 | 967 | 5 | 197.2 | 30 |
2013 | Victor Cruz, NYG | 122 | 73 | 998 | 4 | 196.8 | 28 |
2012 | Miles Austin, Dall. | 119 | 66 | 943 | 6 | 196.3 | 23 |
2003 | Rod Smith, Den. | 114 | 74 | 845 | 3 | 195.9 | 20 |
2016 | Willie Snead, N.O. | 104 | 72 | 895 | 4 | 192.0 | 32 |
2010 | Davone Bess, Mia. | 125 | 79 | 820 | 5 | 190.7 | 23 |
2010 | Lance Moore, N.O. | 94 | 66 | 763 | 8 | 190.3 | 24 |
2016 | Cole Beasley, Dall. | 98 | 75 | 833 | 5 | 189.0 | 33 |
2018 | Adam Humphries, T.B. | 105 | 76 | 816 | 5 | 188.7 | 24 |
2015 | Willie Snead, N.O. | 101 | 69 | 984 | 3 | 185.4 | 32 |
2019 | Cole Beasley, Buff. | 106 | 67 | 778 | 6 | 184.8 | 34 |
2016 | Cameron Meredith, Chi. | 97 | 66 | 888 | 4 | 183.5 | 38 |
2010 | Danny Amendola, St.L. | 123 | 85 | 689 | 3 | 180.0 | 30 |
2002 | James Thrash, Phil. | 107 | 52 | 635 | 6 | 176.1 | 32 |
2017 | Jermaine Kearse, NYJ | 102 | 65 | 810 | 5 | 176.0 | 28 |
2002 | Brian Finneran, Atl. | 102 | 56 | 838 | 6 | 175.8 | 33 |
Things could change quickly for Callaway. Smith will probably be healthy, and maybe Thomas surprisingly returns to the field earlier than expected. New Orleans has capable receiving options at running back and tight end, they might have a plan for Ty Montgomery as a wideout, and then there's the whole issue of who exactly is going to quarterback this team.
But Callaway is intriguing. Decent chance he's the team's top receiver the first part of the season, if not longer.
--Andy Richardson