With New Orleans Saints returns specialist Deonte Harty set to miss time with a “significant” turf toe injury, the team turned to a new face last week. Wide receiver Rashid Shaheed was signed to the active roster from the Saints’ practice squad. While the optimism surrounding the undrafted free agent out of Weber State was mostly derived from his outstanding resume as a returner (the FCS all-time leader with 7 kick returns), it was the 44-yard jet sweep he ran in for a touchdown that ignited the excitement even more. Not just for the organization or the fanbase, but for his family too.
Shaheed told me that he had three family members in the audience during Sunday’s loss to the Cincinnati Bengals: his mother, his father, and his grandmother. Despite the loss, Shaheed’s family was excited for his first career touchdown which came off of his first career touch. “They were screaming and yelling,” Shaheed said. “I’m so glad that thy were able to experience that. First NFL game in the (Caesar’s Superdome). They were excited. They said it was loud, that they love New Orleans, it was a ton of fun.”
Thursday night against the Arizona Cardinals, the FCS record-holder says he’ll have 18 family members in the audience. With Glendale, Ariz. being a short trip away from his San Diego hometown, there will be a strong Shaheed contingent rooting him on. After such an explosive debut, it’s hard to imagine that more opportunities won’t come his way.
“We like the speed and what (Shaheed) brings to the offense,” offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael said this week. “So, I think that any of these guys (can) continue to grow in this offense.” The explosive wide receiver had only the one touch and nine total snaps in his first ever NFL action. Quarterback Andy Dalton let one loose to him early on in the game that came up incomplete. It’s clear that New Orleans had some shots dialed up going his way, but it is likely the packages were limited. With another week, albeit a short one, under his belt, hopefully that workload will expand.
If nothing else, getting more chances to break a punt or a kick return will present themselves. Shaheed will look to maximize those chances whether or not he gets more involved on offense. For most of us from outside, we look at the return game as having three facets. The returner, the blockers, and the tacklers. But it’s far more nuanced than simply evading tacklers. Shaheed has mastered those nuances.
“Faster, smarter, and more physical,” he said of NFL coverage units compared to the ones he faced in college. “I just try to hit the hole full speed. I know that in this league if you’re chopping your feet, pitter-pattering you don’t have a lot of time to make decisions. Decisions have to be made in a split second. Just hitting the hole and i feel like once a couple things are cleaned up, we’ll be able to break a lot of returns this year.”
It’s fascinating to hear Shaheed break down his process considering that he didn’t became the FCS’s most dangerous returner until he’d gotten to college. It wasn’t a big part of his repertoire in high school. He had returned some kicks and it was clear there was a skills set available there. It wasn’t until he arrived at Weber State that special teams coordinator (now the Utah linebackers coach) Colton Swan helped him develop into the threat he became. Adding punt returning responsibilities to his ledger.
NFL returnmen Devin Hester, Tyreek Hill and Dante Hall were on Shaheed’s list as those he has studied over the years. Hester being the headliner. Hopefully in a few years, he’ll see his name added to another young returner’s list. He has a lot of opportunity in New Orleans to raise his profile with the opportunities available to him and the coaching of an expert like Saints special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi.
Shaheed could be another blooming NFL star to come from the undrafted ranks. Some have questioned why he even went undrafted in the first place, especially after Harty took turned the same trajectory into a rookie All-Pro season. The former Weber State Wildcat hasn’t even run an official 40-yard dash, though he estimates he’d be in the 4.3- to 4.4-second area.
None of that matters now, though. For Shaheed, as he sat on the Superdome sidelines following his explosive touchdown, it was all about the moment he was in rather than the moments of the past. “The atmosphere was incredible,” he recalled.” Once I scored and got to the sideline, it hit me like, ‘This is real life.’ It was an incredible feeling hearing the cheers and roars. Nothing like it in that Dome.”
Following his NFL debut, Shaheed says he kept the football and jersey he wore. He said he had a touchdown celebration prepared, but it all escaped his mind in the moment. But the moment he’ll remember most was his father after the game. Who, despite the loss, was excited for his son. They shared a hug and took in the excitement following an unprecedented moment.
Shaheed will see a fair share of action again Thursday night against the Cardinals. While fellow rookie receiver Chris Olave is set to make his return from a concussion, veteran wideouts Michael Thomas and Jarvis Landry have been ruled out. Whether by explosive return, run or reception, Saints fans will be at the edge of their seats when the ball is in his hands, along with the group of 18 family members cheering him on at State Farm Arena. For Shaheed, it’s all about helping the team. “When my number is called, I hope to make a play.”
