New Orleans Saints: Way too early roster projection on offense for 2021

New Orleans Saints Tight Ends (3)

• Adam Trautman
• Nick Vannett
• Dylan Soehner

In light of the Saints purge at the tight end position this offseason, which saw veterans Jared Cook and Josh Hill depart New Orleans, third-rounder Adam Trautman appears to have completed his ascension to the starting spot in a year’s time following a solid performance in his rookie season.

The Saints added a pair of tight ends in the offseason in the form of former Denver Bronco Nick Vannett and undrafted free agent Dylan Soehner, a duo that could comprise the team’s depth at the position in 2021.

While Trautman’s rookie on-field action would include work in the slot and from an outside alignment, Vannett functioned in Denver almost exclusively as a traditional inline tight end, a category in which the 6’7″, 268 pound Soehner figures to find himself as well.

While such a situation could allow for a roster threat from a more versatile option on the back end of the team’s 2021 tight ends group, there is not necessarily such a player on the Saints’ current roster.

Garrett Griffin has shown to be competent in his role within the Saints offense, but his profile leans toward that of a sure-handed run blocker in the Vannett/Soehner mold, but without Vannett’s experience or Soehner’s size.

Barring an unexpected challenge from the untested Ethan Wolf, it appears that there are four roster-worthy candidates at tight end in New Orleans. Perhaps the team chooses to carry four at the position and the point becomes moot.

In this scenario, the Saints enter the 2021 season with Trautman as the starter, Vannett in a Josh Hill-type roll, and Soehner as a supersized blocker in the team’s run game.

This sums up the offensive roster predictions. The defensive one will be coming soon, so stay tuned for that!