Saints agree to extension with All- WR

The New Orleans Saints are extending a player who could be critical next season.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Saturday that the Saints have agreed to a contract extension with wide receiver and kick returner Rashid Shaheed. The 25-year-old Shaheed is getting a new one-year, $5.2 million extension.

Shaheed was electric last season for New Orleans, making a Bowl team and earning First-Team All- honors with his versatility. He logged 723 total return yards ( both kick and punt returns), 719 total receiving yards, and six total touchdowns (five receiving and one return).

Because Shaheed only has two seasons of accrued service thus far, he was an exclusive rights free agent (meaning that the Saints were only required to tender him a salary of $985,000 to keep him). But New Orleans is giving Shaheed a significant reward beyond that. 

That reflects Shaheed’s increased value to them now that Michael Thomas has been released, especially now that the NFL will have new kickoff rules beginning 2024.