Saints finally get Devaughn Vele breakout game they have been waiting for

Saints finally get Devaughn Vele breakout game they have been waiting for originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The New Orleans Saints finally saw the version of Devaughn Vele they believed they were acquiring when they traded for him earlier this season. The 6-foot-5 wideout turned in the most complete performance of his young career on Sunday, catching all eight of his targets for 93 yards and a crucial touchdown in a 21-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins. It wasn’t just a breakout, it was the Saints’ clearest glimpse yet of a badly needed No. 2 option behind Chris Olave.

Vele earned an 86.5 grade from Pro Football Focus, the highest mark on the team, and became the first Saints receiver since Michael Thomas in 2020 to post a 100 percent catch rate on at least seven targets. He also recovered an onside kick, capping off one of the most versatile and productive outings of his NFL career.

A Rising Share and a Rising Role

This surge didn’t come out of nowhere. With Rashid Shaheed traded and Brandin Cooks dismissed, Vele stepped into the wide receiver 2 role and has responded immediately. After logging only six catches in his first nine appearances, he now has 11 receptions for 130 yards and a touchdown over his last two games, playing nearly 90 percent of offensive snaps.

New Orleans’ passing attack isn’t prolific, but opportunity matter and Vele is finally getting it. Two weeks ago, he set a season high with seven targets. On Sunday, he matched that volume and converted every chance he received. His timing with quarterback Tyler Shough is growing, and his frame gives the Saints an element they haven’t had since Thomas’ departure: a big-bodied receiver who can handle volume without sacrificing efficiency.

The Denver Broncos Never Wanted to Lose Him

Before arriving in New Orleans, Vele spent his rookie season with the Denver Broncos after being selected in the seventh round out of Utah. He caught 50 passes for 566 yards and three touchdown, a strong debut that made him difficult for Denver to part with.

And Broncos head coach Sean Payton didn’t hide how much the organization valued him when the trade with New Orleans went down.

"[He has] all the things that we look for: discipline, structure, smart, tough, talented," Payton said in August. "That’s why this one was difficult. ... He was fantastic when we visited with him. He’s going to be a real good player for them. Those are the tough ones and really, I was only able to come up with like two that were like that. Darren Sproles was a really tough decision, and I later regretted it, but most of the time they’re easier. We wish him well.”

That level of praise helps explain why the Saints viewed Vele as more than a depth pickup. They saw untapped upside. Now, it’s beginning to materialize.

How Vele Elevates the Saints Offense

Inside the Saints facility, Vele isn’t viewed as a short-term hot hand. He’s viewed as a structural fit, someone who helps clean up spacing, creates leverage advantages, and complements Olave’s skill set instead of duplicating it. That’s why Saints head coach Kellen Moore has been vocal about what Vele brings beyond the numbers.

“I think one of the cool things about [Vele] is his understanding of how he pieces into the whole puzzle. When is he complementary? When is he creating traffic for another guy? Or he’s running this route to open up another receiver on a particular route. I think his global perspective, the best receivers, it seems like those are the guys. You need a couple of those guys on your team.”

If this is the start of his full emergence, the Saints may have finally found the physical wide receiver they’ve been missing for years.