The New Orleans Saints are gearing up for their first preseason game, with the Minnesota Vikings set to visit the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Friday. The four-game slate of exhibition appearances will raise the stakes for already-heated battles to secure one of the few spots on the 53-man roster.
It won’t be enough to have recently signed a contract. Long-running tenure won’t guarantee a place, either. Neither will having been a rookie draft pick. The Saints have shown that they’re committed to fielding their best 53 players when the regular season kicks off in September, and players on the fringe of the roster will have to make the most of their limited opportunities underneath the bright lights. It’s all but certain that some very tough cuts and careful consideration are in store for the shot-callers inside the Saints front office.
Here’s our latest projection of what the 53-man roster may look like, updated after the first two weeks of training camp practice.
