Potential. It is an intriguing word in the world of the NFL. Fans love to believe in the ceiling of players for their favorite team. IT doesn't always work out. For the New Orleans Saints, they had a player step up in 2023, that many fans did not expect to see much of on offense.
That was wide receiver A.T. Perry.
The 6'5 wideout was not expected to make much of an impact was a rookie, but he emerged as a nice downfield target at times for QB Derek Carr. His stature certainly helps with that, and the Saints' top two receivers, Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, don't boast that sort of size.
A.T. Perry can be missing piece to Saints offense in 2024
Perry totaled 246 receiving yards on 12 receptions and four touchdowns last season. This year, he slides into a potential starting role as the team's WR3. He will compete with rookie Bub Means and veteran Cedrick Wilson Jr. for that spot, most likely.
According to camp reports, the Saints plan to push the ball downfield more often in 2024 under new OC Klint Kubiak. Play action deep shots will be a valuable asset to the offense, an offensive piece that former OC Pete Carmichael Jr. did not use often enough.
From an efficiency standpoint, Derek Carr is a top ten QB in the NFL using play action. It has helped him often over the course of his pro career. Under Kubiak, his connection with Perry on deep balls will only grow.
It's no coincidence that all of Perry's production came in the second half of the season when Michael Thomas went on injured reserve with a knee injury. He began the year behind Thomas on the depth chart but made the most of the opportunity, and the older receiver is no longer in the picture in New Orleans.
With a bigger role heading into year two, there's plenty of reason to believe Perry is in store for a breakout campaign to emerge as the Saints' No. 2 or 3 wide receiver this season. -- Darrion Gray, MSN
Not to mention, the WR is still just 24 years old. He's got plenty of time to keep developing. He dealt with route running and drops at times in his first NFL season, but you can expect some of those troubles to be ironed out as he progresses.
Fans should be excited about the potential of Perry in the Saints' new offense. He can blossom into a great third option at wide receiver for the black and gold.
