There’s only so much one can pull from Saints practices involving helmets, shirts and shorts. It’s more about watching where players line up in terms of first, second or third units to provide a glimpse into what Sean Payton, defensive coordinator Dennis Allen and other assistants are thinking once training camp commences in late July.
Advertisement
One starting job originally up for grabs is seemingly coming into shape. Yet roster decisions should exist for New Orleans within at least seven position groups. It might be one job. It might be two roster slots. Still, the Saints should leave organized team activities and minicamp with a general idea of where each position group stands once training camp commences in late July.
Here’s my best guess of where the Saints’ 53-man roster stands if the season started today. I actually surprised myself with a couple of my selections:
Quarterback (3)
Drew Brees, Teddy Bridgewater, Taysom Hill
Outside of an injury, we all know this projection won’t change until next offseason at the earliest.
Bridgewater benefitted from Brees missing one organized team activities session and one minicamp practice while dealing with a trial surrounding jewelry valuation (yes, really). The Saints’ backup garnered plenty of snaps with the first-team offense. Bridgewater looked sharp at times, and then seemed off at times. Patrick Robinson victimized Bridgewater by picking him off each of the last two days of minicamp. And yet Bridgewater looked red hot in team drills last week.
Despite Hill’s position movement, the Big Easy Army Knife threw the ball better than I expected this early offseason. Sean Payton’s assessment of the talent level of the quarterback room continues to be spot on.
Running back (4)
Alvin Kamara, Latavius Murray, Dwayne Washington, Zach Line
Three tailbacks seems light, but the Saints regularly rolled with only a trio of tailbacks for much of the past two years. The Saints barely used two backs during the first four weeks of last season with Mark Ingram serving a suspension.
Kamara and Murray are a given. The third running back job appears wide open. I’ve pointed to undrafted rookie Devine Ozigbo a couple of times as someone to watch. We’ve watched the Saints secure an undrafted guy a few times in recent memory – Pierre Thomas, Chris Ivory, Khiry Robinson. But New Orleans recently signed veterans Buck Allen and Matt Dayes to fight for the gig as well. I’d view Days in a Kamara mold and Allen as a Murray mold.
Advertisement
Wide receiver (6)
Michael Thomas, Ted Ginn Jr., Tre’Quan Smith, Keith Kirkwood, Austin Carr, Simmie Cobbs Jr.
At this point, there’s no reason for me to assume Cameron Meredith will make the 53-man roster. He’s been absent from practice all offseason while still on the mend from his 2017 knee injury. There are probably receivers I’ve left off the roster right now that would have a better shot at sticking.
Not trying to sound harsh, but the Saints can’t wait on Meredith if he can’t practice. Maybe that changes in training camp.
No one has emerged enough right now for me to shove Kirkwood and Carr off the roster. Payton absolutely loves Carr and I’m sure he’s hoping Carr can excel as a slot receiver. Payton also habitually mentions Cobbs as a wideout he’s enamored with and he could possibly stick after having spent half of 2018 in New Orleans. I’m curious to watch the development of players like Emmanuel Butler and Cyril Grayson Jr. Adding Rishard Matthews made sense after he shined on a tryout during this week’s minicamp.
Tight end (4)
Jared Cook, Josh Hill, Garrett Griffin, Alize Mack
Four tight ends seem possibly too heavy. Leaning on precedent, the Saints have employed four on the 53-man roster at times in 2018. There will be definite competition for the third and fourth role. I’m going with Griffin in a Hill clone and Mack as a young receiving tight end. This obviously wouldn’t bode well for Dan Arnold, who isn’t known for blocking and struggled to consistently catch the football last season.
Offensive line (8)
Terron Armstead, Ryan Ramczyk, Larry Warford, Andrus Peat, Erik McCoy, Nick Easton, Cameron Tom, Marshall Newhouse
I can see myself adding second-year interior lineman Will Clapp back to a projection during training camp. But how many versatile interior offensive linemen should the Saints keep?
Advertisement
McCoy has already taken hold of the starting center job. It took only about two weeks of OTAs for the inevitable to occur. Easton played primarily at right guard in place of the injured Warford. This continues to build the likelihood of Easton becoming the utility lineman. Tom opened the offseason with the first unit at center and shifted to the twos with the elevation of the 2019 second-round pick.
So why would I place Newhouse on the roster and exclude Clapp at this point? Peat would be the only backup tackle for Armstead and Ramczyk if I kept Clapp. Newhouse received plenty of snaps with the first team this week, allowing Armstead to rest. The Saints probably need a pure reserve tackle on the roster. For now, it’s Newhouse.
Defensive line (8)
Cam Jordan, Marcus Davenport, Malcom Brown, David Onyemata, Sheldon Rankins (PUP to short-term IR, not counting on the roster), Trey Hendrickson, Carl Granderson, Mario Edwards Jr., Taylor Stallworth
Jordan’s bank account spiked with his new extension. Davenport appears on the verge of being more of an every-down defensive end in his second season. Now which players will give them a breather will be intriguing to watch. Hendrickson seems secure to stick as a regular with the second unit and a rotational player with the ones. Who’s joined him in that role most of this offseason? The undrafted rookie Granderson. This could spell trouble for former Panthers end Wes Horton.
The defensive line depth looks cloudy as well. I’m not counting Rankins since I still anticipate he’ll miss half the 2019 campaign with the Achilles injury. Edwards is a given to make this team. The debate, for now, comes between Stallworth and veteran Sylvester Williams. Stallworth filled in well in spots at nose tackle last season. Williams landed on the 90-man roster after inking a deal following a tryout in rookie minicamp. It’s probably a toss up between the two, but I’m going with Stallworth at this point.
Linebacker (6)
Demario Davis, A.J. Klein, Alex Anzalone, Craig Robertson, Vince Biegel, Kaden Elliss
If all are completely healthy, I’m betting the Saints would ride with five linebackers. Three of the four are capable of playing all three spots. Anzalone played plenty of Mike during minicamp, but jumped in with the ones when need be. The position group remains a strength.
The Saints have experimented a bit by putting special teams guru Biegel as an edge rusher at times the past few weeks. I don’t envision Biegel staying there, but he remains a cog on special teams. Elliss, the 2019 seventh-rounder, should be the front-runner to earn the final linebacker role given he’s a draft pick. Still, he’ll need to display some promise once the pads arrive in training camp.
Defensive back (11)
Marshon Lattimore, Eli Apple, Vonn Bell, Marcus Williams, P.J. Williams, Patrick Robinson, Chris Banjo, Justin Hardee, Marcus Sherels, Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Saquan Hampton
Eleven defensive backs? Seems like overkill. Let me explain.
Advertisement
You have your starters: Lattimore, Apple, Bell, Marcus Williams. Then there’s been quite the battle already between P.J. Williams and Robinson for the nickel job. P.J. Williams has regularly played ahead of Robinson with the ones. Will that change at some point? I would imagine so. But that it hasn’t occurred yet tells me this could be a legit competition.
Banjo and Hardee play primarily on special teams and that won’t change. Sherels should nab both returner jobs and not find time on defense. Draft picks Gardner-Johnson and Hampton should become reserves at safety.
Specialist (3)
Wil Lutz, Thomas Morstead, Zach Wood
This needs no explanation, per normal.
(Top photo: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports)
