A.T. Perry picked as a potential breakout candidate for 2024

METAIRIE, LOUISIANA - MAY 28: A.T. Perry #17 of the New Orleans Saints attends the OTA Offseason Workout at the New Orleans Saints Practice facility on May 28, 2024 in Metairie, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

All eyes are on Rashid Shaheed as a possible breakout candidate for the New Orleans Saints in 2024, even if his performance last season arguably meets the criteria. Shaheed finished with 46 receptions for 719 yards, scoring 5 touchdown catches. He also chipped in 339 punt return yards while picking up 384 return yards on kickoffs.

And while we're all excited to see what Shaheed can do with Klint Kubiak calling plays (he was our pick for the Saints' potential breakout), Pro Football Network's Tony Catalina reminds us not to overlook another Saints wideout: A.T. Perry. Last year's sixth-round pick out of Wake Forest made some plays down the stretch, and Catalina sees a great opportunity opening up for Perry with Michael Thomas moving on:

The days of Michael Thomas dominating secondaries for the Saints are over. However, while they have some young intriguing pieces in the room, second-year WR A.T. Perry should be talked about as a breakout candidate more often. The hope is still there that Perry could become one of Derek Carr’s most trusted weapons when it’s all said and done this season.

On their surface, Perry's rookie-year stats aren't that great: 12 receptions for 246 yards doesn't move the needle for many fans. But look a little deeper. Perry converted a first down on 10 of his 12 catches, and four of those grabs scored touchdowns. That's doubly impressive when you see that he didn't take his first snap on offense until Week 8, and he didn't record a catch until Week 10. He finished the season by catching all three passes thrown his way against the Atlanta Falcons, gaining 53 yards and scoring two touchdowns in a blowout win.

That certainly suggests he's someone Derek Carr wants to work with. Unlike Shaheed and Chris Olave (both of whom measure in at 6-foot and under 190 pounds, with 73-inch wingspans), Perry has a more imposing stature at 6-foot-5 and a listed 205 pounds with an 82 5/8-inch wingspan. We saw him win on contested targets and outmuscle opponents downfield last season. If he can continue to play with such physicality on a heavier workload, Carr and Kubiak will give him as many opportunities as he can handle.

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: A.T. Perry picked as a potential breakout candidate for 2024