Top 3 players on the New Orleans Saints training camp roster bubble
- Tre'Quan Smith is on thin ice
- Payton Turner is too injury prone
- Malcolm Roach needs to bring the heat
By Randy Gurzi
2. Tre'Quan Smith, WR
Ahead of the 2022 season, the Saints decided to bring back free agent wide receiver Tre'Quan Smith on a two-year, $6 million dollar deal with the possibility to earn another $4.5 million in incentives. The move might not seem terrible on the surface but it was met with immediate frustration.
Smith has decent size at 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds. He also has the speed to get deep and has made his share of impressive receptions downfield during his five-year career. But he's also been limited overall and has been trending in the wrong direction.
Despite the warning signs, New Orleans brought him back in 2022 and he had just 19 receptions for 278 yards and a touchdown. What's worse is he wasn't buried on a strong depth chart. New Orleans had Michael Thomas and Jarvis Landry out for the majority of the season and Smith still couldn't step up.
This year, the former third-round pick is firmly behind Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, and Michael Thomas (if he stays healthy). From there, he will have to beat out Bryan Edwards, James Washington, and rookie A.T. Perry. That feels like a tough ask for Smith who is firmly on the bubble and might not make the cut.