It’s going to be tough to make the New Orleans Saints’ roster. Just 53 of the 80 players under contract right now are going to make the cut, and many of those roster spots are already accounted for – by my count, as many as 46 players should be safe bets to make the opening-day depth chart (granted, three of them are specialists in the kicking game).
Everyone else is on the roster bubble. A strong performance on Friday night against the Los Angeles Chargers could be what they need to win a job for Week 1, but falling shy of expectations could send their career in another direction. There’s a lot on the line for many of these guys. With that in mind, here are the players likely on the bubble going into the preseason finale:
Offense (19)
- QB Ian Book
- RB Tony Jones Jr.
- RB Abram Smith (rookie)
- FB Adam Prentice
- FB J.P. Holtz
- TE Nick Vannett
- TE Lucas Krull (rookie)
- OL Derek Schweiger (rookie)
- OL Nick Martin
- OL Josh Andrews
- OL Khalique Washington (rookie)
- OL Lewis Kidd (rookie)
- OL Derrick Kelly
- WR Tre’Quan Smith
- WR Marquez Callaway
- WR Kirk Merritt
- WR Kawaan Baker
- WR Dai’Jean Dixon (rookie)
- WR Rashid Shaheed (rookie)
QTNA: What does Book need to do to save his job? Can Smith unseat Jones as RB4? Will the Saints roster a fullback? Will Martin or Andrews make the cut as a backup center? Is Kidd the undrafted rookie likeliest to make the team? Can Merritt push Smith or Callaway off the roster by becoming a do-it-all utility player? These are the questions that need answers after Friday night. Of the 39 players under contract on offense, 20 of them are plausible roster locks, while these 19 are on the bubble.
Defense (15)
- DE Tanoh Kpassagnon
- DE Taco Charlton
- DE Niko Lalos (rookie)
- DT Albert Huggins
- DT Jordan Jackson (rookie)
- DT Josh Black (rookie)
- LB Zack Baun
- LB Nephi Sewell (rookie)
- LB Chase Hansen
- LB Jon Bostic
- S Daniel Sorensen
- CB DaMarcus Fields (rookie)
- CB Vincent Gray (rookie)
- CB Quenton Meeks
- CB Brian Allen
QTNA: The starting lineup is set, but what about the depth behind them? Can someone shake up the rotation at defensive tackle? Will Charlton take Kpassagnon’s spot at the tail end of the depth chart? Is Baun going to make the team after a far-too-quiet summer, and is Sewell the guy to elbow him aside? Should Sorensen or Fields be rostered to pad out the secondary? Justin Evans and Malcolm Roach were considered here at safety and defensive tackle, respectively, but their strong preseason efforts should put them among the 23 defenders with safe roster spots.
