Have all the 53 players on the New Oreland Saints’ Week 1 roster already participated? This is unlikely, especially given that the team's offseason strategy is starting to be increasingly like a "soft reconstruction" aimed at winning the NFC South while eliminating older veterans. Derek Carr has retired. Cameron Jordan, Demario Davis and Tyrann Mathieu may be replaced. Tayom Hill's future clarity is like the next fallen domino.
So while the Saints do have a roster of 90 players as of this moment, we're down the list to 53 guys who are the most playable in the September game. Here are our latest predictions:
Roster Cut: Derek Carr (Retired), Jake Haener
We guess Shought won the battle. Rattler is a late draft pick that didn't win any of his six games last year. Before the top 40 draft picks enter the picture, he has a lot to prove. Shought will get all the chances to win the job, but Rattler should make it a game. How real the competition will be, remains to be seen. Haener may catch up with the practice team, but he was selected among two offensive coaching staff. He may want to go elsewhere for better opportunities. Find Saints to sign a backup for a veteran to use the group as a resource for young people to rely on.
Roster Cut: Jordan Mims, Xazavian Valladay, Velus Jones Jr., Marcus Yarns (Rookie)
If Miller finds his way in grade 3, then Edwards-Helaire may not have room. He will need to play in a special team to advance, and if Jones is involved, there is a certain advantage. But we will see how it performs. If Kellen Moore is determined to run out of football, it makes sense to load on the running guard. For the moment, we probably shouldn't rule out yarn, but he has a lot to mention about as rookie free agents.
Roster Cut: Treyton Welch, Michael Jacobson, Dulin Ligid (Rookie)
puppy: Mount Tam (Knee)
The third tight end will need to be a good blocker in Moore's offense, and we don't know if Hallke is suitable for this description. Matavao can say the same as one of the Saints' seventh round picks. But you can put this in Stoll's support. He has fans of the coaching staff who have worked with him before, and at this early stage he may be back on Holker and last year's practice lineup. Hill’s knee injury could force him to start with a physically inefficient season, which is what we’re currently assuming.
Roster Cut: Josiah Ezirim
Our current plan is to have Kelvin Banks Jr. start with left back, and Fuaga remains the starter for left tackle, a prediction reflects that. If so, Young shows that he can get into trouble and Ezirim may spend another season on the practice team (unless the new coaching staff has someone else to develop).
Roster Cut: Kyle Hergel
Radunz is looking to compete for a starting job at left-back, but we guess the bank proves to be a better option. Still, he is a better "sixth man" than someone like Shane Lemieux or Olisaemeka Udoh, who can dress up on game day. Landon Young also played for some left-backs for the Saints. Unless he can prove that he can keep a healthy Saldy Flee, it may not be long for New Orleans. He is healthy now, and that's what matters. Hergel is a good bet hidden on the practice lineup.
Roster Cut: Torricelli Simpkins III (Rookie)
Repeat with me: The Saints disappeared 1-11 in McCoy's game or quit due to injury last year. They need to have viable backups in terms of backup, which Clapp has previously held. It's worth dressing up his situation on Sunday in case he needs it.
Roster Cut: Easton Kilty (Rookie)
Radunz once played on the right (as did Clapp), so the Saints did have some depth behind Ruiz, even if that wasn't obvious. Last year, injuries did take him out of four games, so it’s worth building some flexibility in the depth table.
Roster Cut: Ryan Ramczyk (Retired), Josh Ball
Landon Young cross-trained on the right tackle after lined up on the left side of the college, and the Saints asked him to fill it in at this place, so if he missed the time, he would be the first choice for the book. Longer absences will require some changes, so you can provide a reason to invest in a better backup plan. Perhaps the new coaching staff thinks to move Nick Saldiveri back to his college position, for that.
Roster Cut: Kevin Austin Jr.
It would be great if the Saints could reunite with Keenan Allen or Amari Cooper with Kellen Moore, but they might choose a budget-friendly option like Donovan Peoples-Jones, who tried it on the weekend at the rookie mini camp. Wilson's experience with Moore's offense gave him an edge in Austin, Tipton and Pettis, with two rookie free agents having a lot to prove throughout the summer.
Bettor: James Bernip (not drafted)
Kicker: Blake Group
Long snapper: Zach Wood
Roster Cut: Matthew Hayball (bettor), Charlie Smyth (kicking)
In New Orleans, the job of bettors is hard – since they cut Thomas Morstead, the Saints may be betting for the fourth time in four years (Blake Gillikin in 2021 and 2022, Lou Hedley in 2023, and Hayball in 2024). Bernip really won the game after flashing high-altitude potential in Alabama. Smyth needs to work on his short-term accuracy, and now, we guess Grupe is outstripping him again.
Roster Cut: John Ridgeway III, Khristian Boyd, Omari Thomas
Godchaux can play 40 games in this role, so there isn't much room behind him. Ridgeway or Boyd (or both) can return to the practice team, but you have to think that in last year's draft, all teams with high Boyd would consider rushing him out of the waiver. Perhaps the new coaching staff can get more abilities from him than last year's crew.
Roster Cut: Khalen Saunders
Both Shepherd and Broughton have versatility, which can line up nose tackles in the middle, or kick more outside and play defensively in a 3-4 line, which can really help. Broughton in particular may have played more roles behind Cameron Jordan than we expected. But Brandon Staley uses 3-Tech more often than you think, and Bresee should have a lot of reps do what he does best in this defense. Sanders might be the weird guy.
Roster Cut: Jonah Williams
This is one of a few undrafted free agents we selected: Davis, a rookie defensive lineman at Wake Forest. He finished second and third in school history and had a lot of experience in dynamic fronts that Dynamic Front Staley is installing. Williams was proficient in Staley's terminology and had played for him before, but Davis had greater potential and he was a great backup for Jordan. But we can also see Vernon Broughton playing this role.
Roster Cut: Chris Ramf II
Same thing: Rumph has played in Staley's defense before, but we're going to coach him with young professionals. Diggs, both highly respected "cultural" influences on Texas A&M and Syracuse, were appointed captain three times. This is exactly what the Saints need to enclose their depth charts in reconstruction, even if he only plays a special team to start. Now is Foskey's current or never, and we hope that the new system will finally uncover his potential.
Roster Cut: D'Marco Jackson, Isaiah Stalbird, Tyreem Powell (Rookie)
It would be very, very difficult to keep Stutsman off the court, especially if he ran for the Saints like he did in Oklahoma. New Orleans has been in many roles on the special team led by Darren Rizzi, and his right man, Phil Galiano, stood up because the coordinator might stick to the trend, so we can see all four guys behind Davis and Werner wearing it on Sunday. Jackson might be the best shot to replace one of them, though.
Roster Cut: Ugo Amadi, Millard Bradford, Elliott Davison (Rookie)
Sanker needs to play a real defensive snapshot right away, and his impressive game tape in defense should do a lot to help his case. The sooner he develops into a long-term replacement for Mathieu, but we guess Reid will eventually become the new face of the Saint's safety status. After Howden showed too much inconsistency, it needed to step up and win the roster.
Roster Cut: Rejzohn Wright.
The group still feels like another player is needed, but these are probably the five best corners on the roster. Taylor, McKinstry, and Yiadom all started NFL games before and put quality tapes on movies (and some low moments). Payton's sample size last year was small. Riley is sometimes downright dominant in college and doesn't shock us to see him in the September starting lineup, but it's the opportunity he needs to earn.