Saints roster projection: Who is going to make the final 53?

Two weeks remain in the preseason for the New Orleans Saints, which means it’s time to start thinking about what the 53-man roster will look like. Once the preseason ends, the front office is going to have a difficult time trimming the roster from 90 to 53.

Here is my projection of what I believe the 53-man roster should look like.

Quarterbacks - 3

Derek Carr, Jake Haener, Spencer Rattler

Pretty straightforward here. The Saints have lots of talent at quarterback, it’s wise to keep all three of them. Derek Carr is going to be the starter but having two quality, young backups with potential is a great spot to be in.

Running Backs - 3

Alvin Kamara, Jamaal Williams, Kendre Miller

The running back position is interesting going into 2024. This new scheme should benefit the likes of Alvin Kamara and Kendre Miller. The only problem for Miller is staying healthy. Jordan Mims has been looking good in training camp, providing Kendre with some competition, but ultimately, the team will likely bet on Miller’s talent.

Wide Receivers - 6

Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, Cedrick Wilson Jr., A.T. Perry, Bub Means, Equanimeous St. Brown

The top four receivers for the Saints are shoe-ins to make the roster. Olave, Shaheed, Wilson, and Perry are all receivers who are in line to make big contributions to the team this season. Bub Means is a rookie that the Saints really like, and he has tons of potential. St. Brown was one of the last I included on the roster. His experience and height could really benefit the Saints if they choose to keep him.

Tight Ends - 4

Juwan Johnson, Taysom Hill, Foster Moreau, Dallin Holker

Four may seem a lot for the tight end position but that's because this is one of the only spots you can group Taysom Hill in. Dallin Holker is also the only undrafted rookie that I have making the 53-man roster. His upside in the receiving game is something that the Saints need to utilize.

Offensive Line - 8

Taliese Fuaga, Erik McCoy, Cesar Ruiz, Trevor Penning, Landon Young, Nick Saldiveri, Lucas Patrick, Olisaemeka Udoh

The offensive line is the position with the most questions for New Orleans in 2024. A lot of the backups are fairly interchangeable with who the team decides to keep. It’s going to be interesting to see how the front office puts this group together.

Defensive Tackles - 4

Bryan Bresee, Khalen Saunders, Nathan Shepherd, Khristian Boyd

This is a similar group to the one that the Saints had last year. Khristian Boyd, their draft pick out of Northern Iowa, could help elevate their run defense.

Defensive Ends - 5

Chase Young, Cameron Jordan, Carl Granderson, Isaiah Foskey, Payton Turner

There is a mix of veteran experience, youth, and talent on this roster for defensive ends. There is a world where this is one of the better positions on the roster. The biggest question is if Isaiah Foskey and Payton Turner can develop into starting caliber players.

Linebackers - 6

Demario Davis, Pete Werner, Willie Gay, Khaleke Hudson, D’Marco Jackson, Jaylan Ford

It is important to factor in special teams when looking at the linebacker position. Davis, Werner, and Gay are the top three linebackers, that’s not changing unless there is an injury. Hudson, Jackson, and Ford should be contributors on special teams right away and could get on the field if one of the three starters go down.

Cornerbacks - 6

Marshon Lattimore, Paulson Adebo, Alontae Taylor, Kool-Aid McKinstry, Shemar Jean-Charles, Will Harris

As of now, the cornerback position is the most stacked on the roster. It only got better this offseason with the addition of Kool-Aid McKinstry. Talent wise, this cornerback room can stack up with anyone in the NFL.

Safeties - 5

Tyrann Mathieu, Jordan Howden, Johnathan Abram, J.T. Gray, Ugo Amadi

The Saints are still looking for their starting safety opposite of Tyrann Mathieu. Right now it looks as if the battle will stay between Johnathan Abram and Jordan Howden. That isn’t a bad thing, both had great flashes last year.

Special Teams - 3

Blake Grupe, Lou Hedley, Zach Wood

No surprises here. Both the punting and kicking competitions are by no means over but Grupe and Hedley should still be the front-runners.

Closest Cuts

Jordan Mims, Shane Lemieux, Mason Tipton, Kyle Hergel, Rico Payton, Anfernee Oriji

These six players just barely missed the cut. All of them should be great practice squad candidates and could still impact the 2024 season.

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