Bryce Lance’s impressive training camp has taken another step forward, and this time, Travis Hunter is part of the story.
The New Orleans Saints rookie wide receiver has been generating buzz throughout training camp after arriving as a fourth-round pick out of North Dakota State. On Thursday, Lance gave Saints fans another reason to be excited when he made a downfield play against Hunter during New Orleans’ joint practice with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
That matchup matters because Hunter is one of the NFL’s most talented young defensive backs. Beating him on a deep opportunity isn’t enough by itself to establish Lance as a future star, but it is another encouraging development for a rookie who increasingly looks capable of earning a role sooner rather than later.
Lance is making noise
The Saints selected Lance with the 136th overall pick, betting on his combination of size, speed and production at North Dakota State. He also ran an impressive 4.34-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, giving New Orleans a legitimate vertical threat to develop.
His college production was equally intriguing. Lance finished his North Dakota State career with more than 2,100 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns, including consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in 2024 and 2025.
Those numbers explain why there was already some optimism surrounding him, but his work in Saints camp has taken the conversation further.
ESPN recently identified Lance among the players making an impression at New Orleans’ camp, while Saints coverage has repeatedly highlighted the competition for opportunities behind the team’s established receivers.
The depth chart gives him a path
Lance doesn’t need to immediately become one of the Saints’ top two receivers.
Chris Olave and first-round pick Jordyn Tyson are expected to command significant attention, while Devaughn Vele has also generated positive buzz. But that leaves opportunities for Lance to carve out a specialized role.
His speed could make him particularly valuable on vertical routes and designed shot plays. If he can also demonstrate that he can consistently separate underneath and handle the details of Kellen Moore’s offense, his workload could grow quickly.
And that’s exactly what makes the Hunter matchup so interesting.
A glimpse of what Lance can become
The Saints aren’t going to build their offense around one practice rep, but Lance getting open against a player of Hunter’s caliber offers a glimpse of his potential.
New Orleans needs explosive plays. Tyler Shough is entering a critical season, and giving him multiple receivers capable of stretching defenses could significantly change the offense’s ceiling.
Lance has already said he’s working on improving his route running as he prepares for his rookie season, suggesting the Saints know there are areas of his game that still need refinement.
That’s the exciting part: the physical tools appear to be there, while his technique and understanding of the NFL game are still developing.
The hype is becoming harder to ignore
There is still a long way to go before Lance can be considered a proven NFL receiver. Training camp highlights don’t automatically translate into regular-season production.
But every positive rep increases the possibility that the Saints have found a valuable contributor much later in the draft.
Lance was already creating buzz before Thursday. Now he has a notable rep against one of the league’s most recognizable young defensive backs to add to the résumé.
For a fourth-round rookie competing for snaps in a crowded receiver room, that’s exactly how hype begins.
**Bryce Lance may not be a household name yet, but his Saints stock is clearly rising — and beating Travis Hunter on a deep ball certainly won’t hurt.**
Leave a Reply