The New Orleans Saints wrapped up the preseason with a win against the Dallas Cowboys, meaning it’s time for another stock report. Who’s rising? Who’s falling? Below, I’ve answered this by compiling four winners and two losers from the preseason finale.
Last week, a majority of this list was trending downwards after a disappointing performance against the Los Angeles Rams. Fast forward a week, and the opposite is true, as many players impressed and improved either their position on the roster or their chance to make it.
It’s only preseason, but this shows how quickly the outlook of a team can change. Now, there’s optimism surrounding the Saints heading into the regular season, particularly around these four “winners” from Friday's matchup.
Spencer Rattler silenced the debate on who’s the backup quarterback.
Winners:
Spencer Rattler-
Spencer Rattler secured the backup quarterback role with his performance on Friday. He efficiently led the offense, scoring in three of his four drives, and went 8/10 for 79 passing yards and one rushing touchdown. Despite struggling in previous weeks, he showed impressive poise and proved he can battle adversity.
Barrion Brown-
If it wasn’t evident in training camp, then it is now: Barrion Brown will have a defined role in the Saints’ offense. The sixth-round pick showcased his elite burst and explosiveness regardless of not having a reception. In his two jet sweeps, he tallied 19 yards and a touchdown. Brown will be the dynamic yards-after-catch threat that Kellen Moore’s offense had been missing after trading Rashid Shaheed last season.
Zamir White-
The Saints traded practically nothing for Zamir White, only sending Deion Jones (who wouldn’t have made the team), and he’s already making an impact. White won’t be a major contributor in the offense, but will be a valuable depth piece in case of injury, which at this point is guaranteed at running back.
Daniel Carlson-
It’s no secret that Tanner Brown and Charlie Smyth struggled throughout the offseason, so Daniel Carlson was signed. Despite being a new addition, he’s clearly the starting kicker and showed why on Friday. The former two-time All-Pro went 2/2 on his field goal attempts, including a go-ahead 53-yarder, and solidified his roster spot.
Losers:
Injuries-
Injuries have headlined the Saints’ offseason, and that trend continued against the Cowboys. Michael Heldman, Audric Estime, and Jaylan Ford were all sidelined and couldn’t finish the game. The severity for each is unknown, but it’s a concerning pattern that’s plagued the Saints early.
Defensive Depth-
The Saints' first-half defense was impressive, only surrendering nine points. However, the lack of depth was clear as the Cowboys nearly mounted a fourth-quarter comeback, scoring 15 points. With their injury trend, Brandon Staley will need depth during the season. Right now, it’s uncertain if the Saints have that.
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