New Orleans Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (22) throws the ball in the air for Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (12) to catch during the second day of training camp practice at Crawford Field at University of California, Irvine, Calif., Thursday, July 25, 2024. (Photo by Sophia Germer, The Times-Picayune) Jake Haener dropped back, surveyed the defense in front of him and found the guy in a No.
22 uniform bolting across the field from his left to right. Haener threw the pass low and toward the sideline, just beyond the reach of a diving Johnathan Abram, and Rashid Shaheed went to the ground to secure the catch. The play wouldn’t have landed on Shaheed’s career highlight tape, but it was representative of what the New Orleans Saints are hoping to see more of out of their third-year receiver.
Two seasons ago, Shaheed announced his arrival by taking his first NFL touch 44 yards to the end zone on an end-around. In the last two years, he has continued to build upon that first play, with his blazing speed earning him a reputation as a dynamic big-play threat. Now, entering Year 3, he aims to prove he has much more to offer.
The Saints cut ties with longtime receiver Michael Thomas this offseason, and they didn’t invest heavily in a replacement. The message was clear: They intend for Shaheed to step into a role as the team’s No. 2 wideout behind his close friend, Chris Olave.
“I knew my role was going to be bigger going into this offseason,” Shaheed said. “I tried.
