Tre’Quan Smith hasn’t enjoyed a great reputation with New Orleans Saints fans. Expectations were high on him as a third-round draft pick back in 2018, and there were flashes of sky-high potential from him — his 10-catch, 157-yard performance as a rookie against the Philadelphia Eagles comes to mind.
But Smith hasn’t been a frequent target in the Saints passing game, averaging just 1.8 receptions per game through his first two seasons. But Saints coach Sean Payton wants it known that Smith still has a vital role to play in the offense, even if he isn’t putting up gaudy receiving numbers like Michael Thomas or Emmanuel Sanders.