New Orleans Saints: The sudden fall of Willie Snead
Once an unprecedented piece of the New Orleans Saints offense, Willie Snead has seemingly fallen off the map. So where do he and the team go from here?
The 2017 NFL season originally seemed like a potential breakout year for Willie Snead. It’s been anything but, starting with Snead’s three-game suspension. Followed by a hamstring injury that left him sidelined and lastly, a lack of chemistry with Drew Brees. It begs the question: Is there still a place on the New Orleans Saints roster for Willie Snead?
An undrafted free agent, Snead began his career in Cleveland before getting picked off waivers by the Saints. In his first season with the Saints, Snead was unstoppable. He had 69 receptions for 984 yards and three touchdowns. The next season, Snead would have a small dip in yards, but managed to nab four touchdowns.
Looking at his stats from this season, Snead is a shell of his former self. He’s only started in two games this season, taking the field against the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears. Against the Lions, Snead had only one reception on three targets for 11 yards. It looked like a promising start for Snead and a renewed connection with Brees.
Unfortunately, Snead managed to take just four snaps against the Bears this week. According to NOLA.com, head coach Sean Payton noted that he wanted to see more from Snead, but also was trying to balance easing him back in. That’s a far cry from what the team envisioned for Snead’s return.
While it’s good to see him getting a little bit of action, easing him back in isn’t ideal. An ideal situation would be Snead falling right back into step. With the increased role of newcomer Ted Ginn Jr. and Brandon Coleman, Snead now has some stiff competition.
As for the Saints, it’s time for them to let Snead off leash a little. It might sound weird, but it’s something that needs to happen. They need to let him play more than four snaps and pick up the slack in their passing game. His unique routes are something missing from the Saints offense and are much needed.
Looking at Snead, he must step up and show he’s worth it. He needs to prove his worth in the offense and show how the suspension changed him for the better. As one of the best receivers on the team, he shouldn’t be performing as poorly as he has been. With the teams’ ongoing hot streak, there’s no reason why he wouldn’t fit in the offense.
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If Snead can’t step up or the Saints don’t feel like he’s worth it, his time in New Orleans is more than likely done. Personally, I thought they might be trading him today but nothing happened there. It’s sad to watch such a promising play fall by the wayside.
Maybe Snead is only one game away from breaking out. If he continues to struggle this season, it looks like he’ll be moving on from New Orleans.