Jobangebote » Saints 53 man roster projection - Version 2.0

We’re now halfway through the preseason and battles for the bottom roster spots are well underway. Now that the league has moved to only one big cut at the end of the season we’re not going through the paces we were used to with weekly cuts as we whittled down the roster. While this gives the coaches more time to look at each group and every player it also makes the process more difficult to project for those who don’t wear black and gold to work every day.This is the second version of this roster projection series Womens Terron Armstead Jersey , and each week we’ll include not only roster projections but hot takes at various positions from our contributors here at Canal Street Chronicles. You can read version one here.Quarterbacks (3)Starter: Drew BreesBackup: Tom SavageBackup who runs fast on special teams: Taysom HillEven with his poor performance against the Cardinals Taysom still has the final roster spot for quarterbacks due to his play on special teams. While J.T. Barrett had a much better performance at the end of the 4th Quarter in New Orleans against Arizona than he did against Jacksonville he still hasn’t done enough to show he deserves to be protected by the 53 man roster while he develops. Currently he is a practice squad candidate.Staff Hot Take: Ellias J Williams “The Saints will cut Tom Savage and run with J.T. Barrett and Taysom Hill on the roster.”Runningbacks (5)Starter(s): Alvin Kamara & Mark Ingram *Backups: Jonathan Williams, Boston ScottFullback: Zach Line, Trey EdmundsSean Payton likes the runningback by committee approach, and he get’s to have plenty due to Ingram’s suspension. Right now Jonathan Williams seems to be leading the race for Mark’s snaps in the first four games of the season. The real question is who gets released once Ingram returns. Edmunds has been spending a lot of time in the “Hooman” role as a quasi-fullback/h-back/utility piece. This keeps him safe on the roster for now. Asterisk - Ingram’s suspension means he doesn’t count against the 53 man roster for the first four games of the season. Staff Hot Take: Don Kellum “Jonathan Williams performs so well he cuts into Ingram’s touches when he comes back.”Wide Receivers (5)Starters: Michael Thomas, Ted Ginn Jr, Cameron MeredithBackups: Tre’Quan Smith, Brandon TateTate through most of his career has been a receiver in name only. He is on the team for special teams; specifically he is currently the team’s top option as punt return and one of the two kick returners. That said we’ve seen the Saints offense bring players into the spotlight that had never previously entered it. Could Tate be that next guy? The four guys ahead of him are a lock for the roster. Be on the lookout for a Brandon Coleman reunion.Staff Hot Take: Chris Dunnells “WR/RB - Tommylee Lewis is gone. Boston Scott is the new Tommylee Lewis, taking over a return-only special teamer and emergency offensive option.” Tight End (3)Starter: Benjamin WatsonBackups: Josh Hill, Dan ArnoldHooman has stayed injured. Deon Yelder has had flashes, but like many UDFAs he hasn’t been consistent in his first year and seems more practice squad candidate than roster material right now. Griffin, while having some splash plays on special teams, seems to be in the same category as Yelder. Roster spots on this team are precious and a defensive lineman or defensive back could end up simply being more valuable. Staff Hot Take: John Sigler “Arnold > Yelder. Nuff said.”Offensive Line (8)Starters: Terron Armstead, Andrus Peat http://www.neworleanssaintsteamonline.com/josh-leribeus-jersey , Max Unger, Larry Warford, Ryan RamczykBackups: Jermon Bushrod, Will Clapp, Rick LeonardLike the defensive line, the offensive line has quite a few athletic prospects seen to have upside, but they aren’t necessarily seen as players who could be starters this season.Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images Leonard drew the ire of a lot of Saints’ fans on draft night but Pro Football Focus has him listed as the best rookie tackle in terms of pass protection and the second best when blocking for the run. He’s quietly had a good camp and given that several teams apparently were considering drafting him around the same spot the Saints took him New Orleans could look to protect him by keeping him on the roster.Staff Hot Take: Chris Dunnells “Rick Leonard, Saints fan’s whipping boy on draft day, starts more NFL games in 2018 than Jermon Bushrod.”Defensive Line (9)Starters: Cameron Jordan, Sheldon Rankins, Tyeler Davison, Alex OkaforBackups: Marcus Davenport, Trey Hendrickson http://www.neworleanssaintsteamonline.com/benjamin-watson-jersey , David Onyemata, Devaroe Lawrence, Taylor StallworthThere are several ways the Saints could go when it comes to their defensive line and there would still be fans split between happiness and sadness. Stallworth provides depth as a run stuffing nose who has shown the short area quickness and agility to provide some pass rush when needed. Most of the players on this list are locks for the roster with arguably only spots eight and nine on this projection even up for debate. Devaroe has continued to prove New Orleans right for keeping him around after his injury issues. Assuming he stays healthy he is in the black and gold in 2018.Staff Hot Take: Garen “Davenport plays only 35% of total snaps this season due to the ascendance of Trey Hendrickson and Okafor’s solid play”Linebackers (6)Starters:Demario Davis, Manti T’eo, A.J. KleinBackups: Alex Anzalone, Hau’oli Kikaha, Craig RobertsonGuess who’s back (back back), back again? Kikaha’s back, tell a friend. Against Arizone Kikaha played snaps on special teams while also providing depth snaps at defensive end and linebacker. The versatility he’s showing makes him to take off of the roster. The one week fire that was Jayrone Elliot hype has smoldered after the Cardinals game. With two weeks left until cut day the bottom of the linebacker roster is up for grabs.Staff Hot Take: Ellias J Williams “Kikaha is traded to Greenbay”Cornerbacks (7)Starters: Marshon Lattimore, Ken Crawley, Patrick RobinsonBackups: P.J. Williams, Arthur Maulet, Justin Hardee http://www.neworleanssaintsteamonline.com/marcus-williams-jersey , Natrell JamersonSeven cornerbacks? Four safeties? With the change in kickoff rules coming here in 2018 we Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sportscould start seeing rosters devote more space to defensive backs and other skill positions to accommodate the new rules. There are still many questions on how the rules will affect the game, and special teams coordinators are certainly going through their own learning curve,but right now players like Jamerson, Hardee and Maulet all have looked pretty strong. Staff Hot Take: Bob Rose “Neither PJ or Kikaha make the team. Looks like the 53 man roster might end up with The Clapp.”Safeties (4)Starters: Marcus Williams, Kurt ColemanBackups: Vonn Bell, Chris BanjoSafety is one of the few positions on this team where the term depth can’t be liberally applied. Rookie Kamrin Moore has struggled with injures and Rickey Jefferson tore his ACL against the Cardinals. Bell, Coleman and Williams will all likely see significant playing time while Banjo continues to be the special teams contributor he was originally brought in to be. Staff Hot Take: Chris Conner “Vonn Bell will get cut. He changed his number, and the curse of Corey White still lives on in New Orleans”Note: Chris wins the Hot Take of the week award. There wasn’t one before, but that was straight fire, as the kids say. Special Teams (3)Punter: Thomas MorsteadKicker: Wil LutzLong Snapper: Zach WoodFormer Saints UDFA Erik Harris ‘stunning’ Jon Gruden It seems like the New Orleans Saints import a standout defensive player from the Canadian Football League every year:Delvin Breaux, Adam Bighill, and Erik Harris are the three most-recent signees.Sure, results vary - Breaux is still waiting to join a team ahead of next month’s training camp Womens Sheldon Rankins Jersey , Bighill returned to the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers after a year on New Orleans’ practice squad, and Harris is currently getting starter reps at safety after being nominated for last year’s Pro Bowl off of special teams play.Harris struggled to get on the field in New Orleans after a rough initial summer.He got turned around to take some bad angles in preseason games and didn’t look to have the range the Saints coveted, and later found in Marcus Williams.Relegated to special teams duties, Harris ended his rookie season with a torn ACL in practice following his interception of Drew Brees.Fortunately for Harris, things have turned up in a big way.He’s since joined the Oakland Raiders and earned unprompted praise from $100-million head coach Jon Gruden, then followed that up with some great practice reps in place of injured starter Marcus Gilchrist.While Harris didn’t make the roster in New Orleans - better players like Williams, Vonn Bell, and Chris Banjo leapfrogged him on the depth chart - it’s cool to see a former Saints hopeful find some success.Considering Harris’ close friendship to Breaux - they were teammates in the CFL, and the New Orleans native stood by in support of Harris at his 2016 Saints tryout - and the Raiders’ thin group at cornerback, it’s simple to connect some dots and wonder if Breaux could end up at the Silver and Black’s training camp next month.It’s a shame neither of them worked out long-term in New Orleans, but these guys remain easy to root for.