Final predictions for the New Orleans Saints' 53-man roster, practice squad
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That's all, folks. The New Orleans Saints have played three preseason games and held dozens of training camp practices. Now it's time to make the difficult decisions before Tuesday's roster cuts deadline. A depth chart of 91 names is about to be whittled down to just 53.
So who makes the cut? After looking at the teams head coach Kellen Moore and defensive coordinator Brandon Staley have built on their previous stops, and taking everything we've seen this summer into account, here's our final take at which 53 players will see the field for the Saints in September:
Quarterbacks (3)
- Spencer Rattler
- Tyler Shough (rookie)
- Jake Haener
Roster cuts: None
Practice squad: Hunter Dekkers
All signs point to Rattler starting in Week 1. does it would just be in the capacity of an emergency quarterback who might get into games if something happens to both Rattler and Shough. With the emergency third quarterback rules in effect it's worth holding onto Haener. Look out for Hunter Dekkers to return on the practice squad after bouncing on and off of the training camp roster this summer.
Running backs (4)
- Alvin Kamara
- Kendre Miller
- Velus Jones Jr.
- Devin Neal (rookie)
Roster cuts: Cam Akers, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Marcus Yarns (rookie)
Practice squad: Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Again, only one of Moore's previous teams rostered more than three running backs in Week 1: the 2023 Los Angeles Chargers, where he coached under Staley, who kept four. Neal had a good game against the Broncos and looked comfortable as a rusher and receiver, and he tackled well on special teams. He should make this team. Edwards-Helaire would be our pick for the practice squad..
Tight ends (3)
- Juwan Johnson
- Jack Stoll
- Treyton Welch
Roster cuts: Seth Green, Michael Jacobson, Moliki Matavao (rookie)
PUP: Foster Moreau (knee), Taysom Hill (knee)
Practice squad: Molliki Matavao (rookie)
This group is set. Hopefully Moreau and Hill can return soon, but Stoll and Welch have both had some nice moments.
Left tackles (2)
- Kelvin Banks Jr. (rookie)
- Landon Young
Roster cuts: Barry Wesley
Practice squad: N/A
The only question here is about Young's health; he was carted off with a leg injury before halftime, but the training staff didn't remove his shoe or apply a brace, so that's a little encouraging. For now we'll be optimistic and hope he's healthy enough to play in two weeks.
Left guards (2)
- Trevor Penning
- Dillon Radunz
Roster cuts: Shane Lemieux, Easton Kilty (rookie)
Practice squad: Shane Lemieux
No changes here. Penning probably won't be ready for Week 1, but the Saints signed Radunz for a reason. Lemieux should stick with the practice squad but don't overlook him as the team's ninth offensive lineman.
Centers (2)
- Erik McCoy
- Luke Fortner
Roster cuts: Mike Panasiuk
Practice squad: N/A
Remember: the Saints went 1-11 in games McCoy missed or exited early due to injury last year. The Saints may prefer stashing Fortner on the practice squad, but they traded for him for a reason, and holding onto him would free up Torricelli Simpkins III to go help out at guard.
Right guards (2)
- Cesar Ruiz
- Torricelli Simpkins III (rookie)
Roster cuts: Kyle Hergel
Practice squad: Kyle Hergel
No change here. Ruiz has taken a step back this summer, which is really disappointing after he showed some growth a year ago, but it is what it is. At least the Saints seem to have found something in Simpkins as a rookie free agent.
Right tackles (1)
- Taliese Fuaga
Roster cuts: Josiah Ezirim, Jonathan Mendoza (rookie)
Practice squad: Josiah Ezirim
Ezirim is an easy choice for the practice squad, but the Saints may need more help at right tackle. Fuaga missed some time lately with a knee issue and Mendoza gave up a strip-sack in the final preseason game.
Wide receivers (5)
- Chris Olave
- Rashid Shaheed
- Brandin Cooks
- Mason Tipton
- Devaughn Vele
Roster cuts: Cedrick Wilson Jr., Dante Pettis, Kevin Austin Jr., Roderick Daniels (rookie), Moochie Dixon (rookie)
Practice squad: Cedrick Wilson Jr., Dante Pettis, Kevin Austin Jr.
There probably isn't room for six receivers, so both Wilson and Pettis get bumped down to the practice squad after the Saints traded for Vele. Cooks needs to make more plays to keep Tipton off the field early in September.
Special teams (3)
Punters: Kai Kroeger (rookie)
Kickers: Blake Grupe
Long snapper: Zach Wood
Roster cuts: Matthew Hayball (punter), Charlie Smyth (kicker), James Burnip (rookie punter)
Practice squad: Charlie Smyth (International Player Pathway exemption)
Kroeger has taken a lead in the punting competition, and Grupe kept it from ever looking close at place kicker. Smyth should get a longer look on the practice squad as an international exemption.
Nose tackles/0-tech (2)
- Davon Godchaux
- Khristian Boyd
Roster cuts: John Ridgeway III, Omari Thomas (rookie)
Practice squad: Omari Thomas (rookie)
Boyd is another injury situation to watch -- he left the final preseason game to get looked at in the blue medical tent on the sideline before being escorted to the locker room -- but if he's healthy he should be the backup at nose tackle. He's consistently brought pressure in these preseason games and made the most of his reps. But Godchaux is going to dominate the snaps at that position no matter who is backing him up.
Defensive tackles/3-tech (1)
- Bryan Bresee
Roster cuts: N/A
Bresee is looking more like an all-around defender this year after getting shoved around in run defense. He'll play a lot of five-tech defensive end when the Saints work out of a three-man front, but he should see a ton of snaps regardless of the formation.
Defensive ends/5-tech (3)
- Nathan Shepherd
- Jonathan Bullard
- Vernon Broughton (rookie)
Roster cuts: Jonah Williams
Practice squad: Jonah Williams
Shepherd is a starting defensive lineman, plain and simple. Nobody has emerged who can push him out of the lineup. Both of the veterans here behind him could hang on with the practice squad, and they probably should, if the Saints are only keeping six interior defensive linemen.
Edge rushers/7-tech (4)
- Chase Young
- Carl Granderson
- Cameron Jordan
- Chris Rumph II
Roster cuts: Isaiah Foskey, Fadil Diggs (rookie), Jasheen Davis (rookie)
Practice squad: Fadil Diggs (rookie)
The trio at the top all played well; Young and Granderson brought some pressure, and Jordan blew up an early run play. Rumph has outplayed Foskey and the two rookies all summer and is an easy choice, but Diggs could make the team, too.
Linebackers (5)
- Demario Davis
- Pete Werner
- Danny Stutsman (rookie)
- Jaylan Ford
- Nephi Sewell
Roster cuts: Isaiah Stalbird, D'Marco Jackson, Tyreem Powell (rookie)
Practice squad: Isaiah Stalbird, D'Marco Jackson
That fifth linebacker spot is one of the toughest cuts on the roster, but Sewell seemed to be playing ahead of Stalbird and Jackson, who were still on the field late in the fourth quarter of the last preseason game. It wouldn't be a shock to see one of them make the cut instead given their value on special teams.
Safeties (6)
- Justin Reid
- Julian Blackmon
- Jordan Howden
- Jonas Sanker (rookie)
- J.T. Gray
- Ugo Amadi
Roster cuts: Terrell Burgess, Elliott Davison (rookie)
This group is set; the only questions are whether Burgess returns on the practice squad and whether Alontae Taylor can heal up in time to start in Week 1, in which case Amadi would start in the slot.
Cornerbacks (5)
- Alontae Taylor
- Kool-Aid McKinstry
- Isaac Yiadom
- Rico Payton
- Quincy Riley (rookie)
Roster cuts: Rejzohn Wright, Jayden Price, Dalys Beanum (rookie)
Practice squad: Rejzohn Wright
It's really tough to cut Wright. He's just consistently made plays at the right time in recent weeks. The Saints will lose a 2026 fourth-round pick if Yiadom plays more than a third of their defensive snaps this season, so you'd like to see a younger guy like Payton or Riley climb ahead of him on the depth chart.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Final New Orleans Saints 53-man roster predictions after preseason
