It's this time of year once again. The New Orleans Saints finalized their initial 53-man roster Sunday afternoon, meaning there were some shocking cuts to talented players. The Saints let go of a pair of defensive backs, such as Terrell Burgess and Isaac Yiadom, that caught some fans off guard.
Every year, a few players who are widely projected to make the roster, whether it's because of their experience, upside, or versatility, miss the cut. While many are brought back through waivers, some get poached and have played their last snap in New Orleans. We've already seen Bub Means and Burgess both join other teams, for example.
We've done multiple roster projections throughout the offseason, and tried to factor in all of the factors that could come into play. There were some things we just flat out didn't see coming, which is the case every year. Although there were multiple surprises, our staff writers at Who Dat Dish picked the one that shocked them the most.
Saints shockingly removed two veterans from the secondary
Saints lose a veteran presence, special teams player and secondary depth all in one with Terrell Burgess
The Saints cutting Terrell Burgess is surprising, as the veteran’s experience and special teams prowess were valuable assets. The secondary depth is questionable, especially with Jonas Sanker transitioning to the STAR role.
As a result, it was a shock that Brandon Staley moved on from a formidable contributor who can get the job done. Instead, they opted for a younger, high-upside unit, and only time will tell if it was the right move.~ Drew Collings
Saints slashed their offensive line depth after waiving Torricelli Simpkins III
The most surprising cut on Sunday for me was the waiving of Torricelli Simpkins III, a young offensive lineman who’s shown flashes at center. The depth at the offensive line is now worryingly thin. Furthermore, while Simpkins is still a work in progress, I’d still think the Saints would want to keep him for depth purposes at the least. I guess not.~ Molly Bauer
Isaac Yiadom's departure leaves Saints without much cornerback depth
Don't get it wrong, Isaac Yiadom played poorly in the preseason and training camp, so being cut wasn't an unwarranted move. However, the question comes in when trying to figure out who is going to take his place. The Saints are left with just three players who played boundary cornerback during the preseason, so depth should be a major concern.
Add us as a preferred source on Google