Saints Add Another Weapon for Tyler Shough, Draft Trey Lance's Brother Bryce

The New Orleans Saints made it clear from Day 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft that they needed more weapons for quarterback Tyler Shough.

Chris Olave led the way with 1,163 receiving yards last season, but behind him, the production dipped. Tight end Juwan Johnson finished as the team's No. 2 option with 889 yards, highlighting the lack of depth at wide receiver.

After Rashid Shaheed was traded on November 4, the next man up was Devaughn Vele, who managed just 293 receiving yards on 25 receptions.

The need for another reliable pass catcher was obvious.

New Orleans addressed it early, selecting Arizona State star Jordyn Tyson in the first round, widely viewed as one of the top wide receivers in the class.

But the Saints didn't stop there.

On Saturday, they doubled down, selecting North Dakota State standout Bryce Lance, the younger brother of former No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance, in the fourth round.

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Bryce Lance arrives as one of the most decorated FCS receivers in recent years.

Over his career at North Dakota State, he totaled 127 receptions for 2,157 yards and 25 touchdowns across 57 games, with the bulk of that production coming over his final two seasons.

He posted back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns in 2024 and 2025, becoming the first receiver in program history to do so, while earning consecutive All-MVFC honors and finishing as a Walter Payton Award finalist.

His senior season highlighted his big-play ability, hauling in 51 passes for 1,079 yards (21.2 per catch) and eight touchdowns. The year prior, he recorded 75 receptions for 1,053 yards and a school-record 17 touchdowns, leading the FCS and helping power North Dakota State to a national title.

At 6-foot-3 with legit downfield speed (4.34 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine), Lance projects as a prototypical boundary "Z" receiver, capable of stretching the field, tracking the ball in the air, and winning contested catches.

Those are valuable traits the Saints sorely lacked a season ago.

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Bryce Lance grew up watching and learning from his older brother Trey, who became a top-three NFL Draft pick in 2021 after his own dominant run at North Dakota State.

Bryce was there for Trey's draft moment. Now, he gets his own.

Trey's NFL journey has been turbulent, showing flashes of upside mixed with injuries, leading him to his current role as a backup with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Still, his influence on Bryce is undeniable. Now, the younger Lance gets his chance to carve out an identity of his own.

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This story was originally published April 25, 2026 at 11:47 AM.