The New Orleans Saints will wrap up their preseason on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans. Two days after that they will have to trim the roster down to 53. Dennis Allen enters his third year as Head Coach and has some work to do to keep his job after missing the last two postseasons. A second year of Derek Carr and first-year Offensive Coordinator Klint Kubiak will try to keep defenses on their toes and bring the Black and Gold to meaningful games in January. Here is who could be starting the 2024 NFL season for them against the Carolina Panthers on September 8th.
New Orleans Saints Offense
Quarterbacks (3): Derek Carr, Jake Haener, Spencer Rattler
Carr is easily the starter here. The question with this group is who will be the next man up if Carr goes down. Haener seems to have put himself in a position to be the number two guy after posting solid preseason numbers and showing he can handle the pocket. Rattler may be able to scramble a bit more, but his penchant for taking sacks and turning the ball over may lead the Saints to give Haener the keys if anything happens to their starter.
Running Backs (4): Alvin Kamara, Jamaal Williams, Jordan Mims, James Robinson
Outside: Kendre Miller
Kamara's treads may be getting thin. Last season, he posted his fewest yards per catch (6.2) and his fewest rushing yards in a season (694). His explosiveness has taken a hit as well as 2024 was the first season Kamara didn't have a play over 30 yards. Williams looks like the man to do the dirty work between the tackles and Mims is a home run threat. Robinson is not a sure thing, but he can help on special teams and looked decent in their last preseason game with 27 yards rushing and a couple of catches. Kendre Miller will likely be put on the IR which will rule him out for at least four games, giving the Saints a chance to see how the running back room shapes up.
Wide Receivers (7): Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, Cedrick Wilson Jr., Equanimeous St. Brown, A.T. Perry, Bub Means
Olave is the clear number one after posting back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns. Shaheed established himself as the speed option as well as the team's primary punt returner. After that, it gets a little tricky. Wilson seems to have the inside track to the third spot on the depth chart as he played opposite Olave in the last game. A.T. Perry gives the Saints intriguing size (6-foot-5) as a possession man. The staff seems to like St. Brown who has the size (6-foot-5) and the experience to be a good fit in the receiver room. Means rounds out the group.
Tight Ends (3): Juwan Johnson, Foster Moreau, Dallin Holker
Outside: Michael Jacobson
This group is in flux as Johnson is coming back from foot surgery and Holker sprained his ankle in warmups before the second preseason game. Johnson should be ready to roll for the season opener, but Holker's spot, if his ankle injury is serious, could be taken by Jacobson.
Fullback (2): Taysom Hill, Adam Prentice
Hill will again be the Swiss army knife for Allen and the Saints. His versatility will give Kubiak more options in developing his offense. Prentice is a converted tight end and can run routes if needed or line up in two tight end sets.
Offensive Line (9): Trevor Penning, Cesar Ruiz, Erik McCoy, Taliese Fuaga, Kyle Hergel, Landon Young, Olisaemeka Udoh, Lucas Patrick, Shane Lemieux
There are a lot of questions here with the offensive line as a whole. McCoy will be the center, and Ruiz will slot in at right guard. Penning needs to justify his first-round pedigree after getting benched last season. He will have the opportunity at right tackle as the Saints will be without Ryan Ramczyk for the season. New Orleans drafted another tackle with their first-round pick this year. Fuaga from Oregon State will be handed the starting gig at left tackle as a rookie, but he will likely be on a short leash. Hergel has shown up and could win the left guard position out of preseason. Young, Udoh, Patrick, and Lemieux add depth, especially on the left side.
Special Teams (3): Blake Grupe, Matt Hayball, Zach Wood
Outside: Lou Hedley Charlie Smyth
Wood is a lock at long snapper. Hayball has been better than incumbent Hedley who is only entering his second full season. If Hayball wins the job, it would be a surprise from when the preseason started, but Allen will go with whoever shows better in the final game on Sunday. The same can be said for the kicker position. Grupe has the experience, but Smyth has the leg as he blasted a 65-yard field goal in practice and nailed the game-winner in week 1 against the Arizona Cardinals.
New Orleans Saints Defense
Defensive Line (8): Cameron Jordan, Chase Young, Carl Granderson, Bryan Bresee, Payton Turner, Isaiah Foskey, Khalen Saunders, Nathan Shepherd
Jordan, Young, and Granderson will see a lot of work as the main three pass rushers. Turner has looked good while Foskey could be out if the Saints feel they have enough of a rotation with the four other ends. In the middle, Shepherd is a starter. Bresee has impressed and may have won the starting gig over Saunders.
Linebackers (6): Demario Davis, Willie Gay, Pete Werner, Anfernee Orji, Jaylan Ford, Khaleke Hudson
Davis remains one of the best all-around middle linebackers in football and seems to be ageless. Gay and Werner will play on either side of Davis. The main question is if the Saints will carry six linebackers. Ford has been banged up and could end up on the practice squad as a rookie. Hudson and Orji have played well enough to grab the last two spots if New Orleans decides to keep only five.
Safeties (4): Tyrann Mathieu, Johnathan Abram, Will Harris, J.T. Gray
This is a veteran group with a combined 31 years of experience. On one hand, it is a plus to have players who are rarely out of position and can anticipate plays due to the time they have logged on the field. On the other hand, they could also get worn down on sustained drives. Jordan Howden could be a younger option, but he will likely start on the practice squad as he has been subpar this preseason.
Defensive Backs (5): Marshon Lattimore, Paulson Adebo, Alontae Taylor, Kool-Aid McKinstry, Rico Payton
The first three are a lock with Lattimore and Adebo manning the outside and Taylor locking down the slot. The rookie in Kool-Ai McKinstry banged up his knee last week, but it isn't supposed to be serious. Payton was an undrafted free agent out of Pittsburgh State. He has made his presence felt, not only in coverage but also by getting his nose dirty and stopping the run.
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