It’s finally game week for the New Orleans Saints, who released their first unofficial depth chart of the season – well, the preseason. The team posted their lineup for Saturday’s exhibition game with the Houston Texans, but remember to take it with a grain of salt. This doesn’t totally reflect what the is doing in practice or how players will be deployed in Houston as far as the first-, second-, and third-string units. It just gives an idea of how some units may be evaluated internally. Don’t freak out over a highly-drafted rookie being ranked behind a couple of more experienced plateam yers.
With that in mind, let’s break it down and see how things compare to what we’ve learned at training camp (as is the case on New Orleans’ unofficial depth chart, rookies are underlined here):
Quarterback
- Jameis Winston
- Andy Dalton
- Ian Book
No surprises here. With Winston preemptively ruled out of the preseason opener, look for the Saints to start Dalton during the first half and give Book the second half against the Texans.
Running back
- Alvin Kamara
- Mark Ingram II
- Devine Ozigbo
- Dwayne Washington
- Malcolm Brown
- Tony Jones Jr.
- Abram Smith
This seems to be ordered by seniority, with Kamara receiving his due deference at the top. But we could see more shakeup here than at any other position if someone like Smith or Brown can make the most of their opportunities.
Fullback
- Adam Prentice
Is this Prentice’s job to lose, given the lack of competition, or does he need to play well enough to justify a roster spot? Sean Payton always valued a fullback. Pete Carmichael Jr. and Dennis Allen may think they can get by with Taysom Hill splitting time there among his other responsibilities.
Tight end
- Adam Trautman OR Taysom Hill
- Nick Vannett
- Juwan Johnson
- Chris Herndon
- J.P. Holtz
- Lucas Krull
Trautman has been one of the more impressive players in camp, and the team is committed to getting Hill involved more in this role, so the top of the depth chart is set. But should the Saints go with Johnson as a high-upside third tight end or stick with Vannett as the steadier, more experienced option?
Wide receiver
- Michael Thomas
- Marquez Callaway
- Kevin White
- Dai’Jean Dixon
- Rashid Shaheed
- Kirk Merritt
The only item of note here may be Merritt’s low ranking, behind a couple of undrafted rookies. He’s impressed over the summer and should probably be listed ahead of them. We’ll get a better idea of the pecking order after Saturday’s game.
Wide receiver
- Jarvis Landry
- Tre’Quan Smith
- Chris Olave OR Deonte Harty
- Kawaan Baker
- Easop Winston Jr.
So this is perplexing. Landry gets the veteran’s treatment and a top spot. Smith ranks among the team’s reception leaders during camp, so he’s probably tighter with Winston and the other quarterbacks than we’d like to admit. But Olave actually leads the team in catches right now, and he should be closer to the top. That will get clarified soon.
Left tackle
- James Hurst
- Trevor Penning
- Sage Doxtater
Whether Penning will unseat Hurst for a starting job is one of the spicier storylines at Saints camp. The team views him as a player who needs some more development before he’s ready to go, but coaches won’t hesitate to start him if he’s the best candidate for the job. Hurst is a fine, competent player, but Penning could very well be an upgrade once he figures some things out.
Left guard
- Andrus Peat
- Ethan Greenidge
- Forrest Lamp
It’s interesting to see Greenidge listed as a guard when most of his work has come at tackle, but these unofficial depth charts can be weird. Hopefully Peat can stay healthy so it won’t matter who backs him up.
Center
- Erik McCoy
- Nick Martin
- Josh Andrews
Martin could quietly work his way into a roster spot as the backup center, and immediately leapfrogging Andrews upon signing last week is a good sign. We’ll see if this is the real ranking during the Texans game once McCoy and the rest of the first-team offense bows out.
Right guard
- Cesar Ruiz
- Calvin Throckmorton
- Khalique Washington
Washington played right tackle in college, and has done so occasionally in New Orleans, but maybe the Saints are moving him inside. Or this could be another inconsistency with what we’ve seen at practice. That should get clarified soon.
Right tackle
- Ryan Ramczyk
- Landon Young
- Lewis Kidd
Hey, good on Young. Almost every snap he took at Kentucky came at left tackle, but he’s done well in converting to the other side of the line as Ramczyk’s primary backup. With the Saints taking it easy on their Pro Bowl right tackle during camp, Young has gotten many more reps than expected in his new role. Kidd also played on the left side in college but maybe he’s flipping, too.
Right defensive end
- Carl Granderson
- Payton Turner
- Taco Charlton
- Scott Patchan
Marcus Davenport is still on the PUP list and probably wouldn’t play against Houston if activated this soon before kickoff, so Granderson gets the nod ahead of Turner thanks to seniority. But Turner has enjoyed a really productive camp and would likely play more often than Granderson, the third-down specialist, in real games.
Defensive tackle
- Shy Tuttle
- Malcolm Roach
- Albert Huggins
- Jaleel Johnson
Nothing unusual. These are all players who were with the team last year in some capacity (Johnson joined the Saints for training camp, and initially signed with their practice squad before Houston, ironically, poached him), and Tuttle is again at the top as a starter next to David Onyemata.
Defensive tackle
- David Onyemata
- Kentavius Street
- Jordan Jackson
Onyemata doesn’t miss many snaps, so it makes sense to slot the new arrivals in behind him. Hopefully one of them can elbow their way into the rotation and take some pressure off of Big O.
Left defensive end
- Cameron Jordan
- Tanoh Kpassagnon
- Josh Black
Same deal here. Jordan is an every-down defender, and Kpassagnon has been a healthy scratch at times given the depth at the position. Black, curiously, lines up inside more often than outside but is listed as an end here.
Will linebacker
- Pete Werner
- Andrew Dowell
- Chase Hansen
- Isaiah Pryor
That’s not the most inspiring depth chart, or at least not the most experienced. Makes sense for the Saints to look at veteran linebackers like Kiko Alonso, Anthony Hitchens, and Joe Schobert over the summer.
Mike linebacker
- Demario Davis
- Eric Wilson
- D’Marco Jackson
- Nephi Sewell
Neither rookie is likely to play many snaps behind Davis, who rarely leaves the field, but the preseason is an opportunity for them if they’re healthy (Jackson has missed a few days for undisclosed reasons). Wilson has done well in camp and could help his case for a roster spot.
Sam linebacker
- Kaden Elliss
- Zack Baun
Elliss has gotten first crack at the starting job every year they’ve played together, but it’s still disheartening to see Baun sidelined like this. When are the Saints going to throw in the towel on their bad idea to make him change positions and let him do what he does best? Or is this going to be a Rob Ninkovich situation where he finally hits his stride on another team?
Left cornerback
- Paulson Adebo
- Bradley Roby
- Vincent Gray
- Quenton Meeks
Adebo appears safe at the top, but Gray feels like someone we shouldn’t sleep on. The Saints always make room for great special teams players, and if he can make a splash in that phase he could get in the mix, too.
Strong safety
- Marcus Maye
- C.J. Gardner-Johnson
- J.T. Gray
- Daniel Sorensen
It’s odd for the Saints to not list a nickel on the depth chart, but there’s another reminder that this is an unofficial exercise. Having that position listed separately would take Gardner-Johnson out of the lineup here and tweak a few other positions, but otherwise this checks out.
Free safety
- Tyrann Mathieu
- P.J. Williams
- Justin Evans
- Bryce Thompson
I’m really curious to see how the Evans-Thompson competition shakes out. The team likes both players and they could both get on the field with weaker defenses around the league, but there’s just too much depth right now in New Orleans.
Right cornerback
- Marshon Lattimore
- Alontae Taylor
- DaMarcus Fields
- Jordan Brown
Lattimore has been sidelined with a minor hamstring pull, but it doesn’t sound serious. And honestly he’s one of the players on this team who doesn’t need many practice reps to get warmed up. So look at it as a bright side – his absence opens the door for more snaps for Taylor and the other youngsters rounding out the depth chart.
Specialists
- Punter: Blake Gillikin
- Kicker: Wil Lutz, John Parker Romo
- Long snapper: Zach Wood
- Holder: Blake Gillikin
The usual suspects, with a rookie understudy for Lutz. Look for New Orleans to carry the same group into the season, maybe stashing Romo on their practice squad if they feel it’s worth it.
Punt returner
- Deonte Harty
- Marquez Callaway
- Easop Winston Jr.
Each of these players has a history of fielding punts; it’s how Harty made the squad in the first place. It’s also how rookie wideout Rashid Shaheed hopes to make the cut, so we shouldn’t look too deeply into his absence.
Kick returner
- Deonte Harty
- Marquez Callaway
- Easop Winston Jr.
Same story here. The Saints have shown a willingness to try out many different players in this role (up to and including Alvin Kamara and Taysom Hill), so look out for some unexpected combinations. Shaheed could get involved here as well.
