NEW ORLEANS -- The New Orleans Saints open the 2024 NFL regular season against the Carolina Panthers on Sept. 8 at Caesars Superdome.
The Saints have some tough decisions to make. Do they keep talented kicker Charlie Smyth, a prospect from Ireland, or stick with Blake Grupe? Do high draft picks like defensive end Isaiah Foskey (2023 second-rounder) and running back Kendre Miller (2023 third-rounder) make the team, or do the Saints look outside the building for help at those positions?
New Orleans will keep three quarterbacks after both backups showed impressive potential, but with multiple injuries at cornerback and wide receiver, the team could be looking for depth around the league after cuts are finished.
The roster will be cut to 53 players by 4 p.m. ET Tuesday. Here is a projection for the Saints:
QUARTERBACKS (4): Derek Carr, Jake Haener, Spencer Rattler, Taysom Hill
Neither quarterback shined in the second preseason game, but Rattler took his opportunity in the final preseason game and ran with it, with one of his highlights being a 21-yard touchdown pass on third down early in the game. Rattler and Haener have both shown enough in camp to justify keeping three quarterbacks on the active roster. Hill is technically the fourth, but he's a "do-everything" player who is listed at quarterback. The Saints haven't said what quarterback has earned the backup job, but Rattler certainly showed that he has a bright future and a high ceiling.
RUNNING BACKS (3): Alvin Kamara, Jamaal Williams, Jordan Mims
Kendre Miller missed all of training camp with a hamstring injury and Saints coach Dennis Allen said publicly he didn't think he could get a true evaluation on the second-year player due to lack of snaps. That could mean Miller gets released or heads to IR for the first four games, while Mims gets a spot on the 53 after an impressive camp.
FULLBACK (1): Adam Prentice
There's a possibility the Saints could release Prentice and put him on the practice squad for numbers purposes, but he has won the job at this point after the Saints cut Zander Horvath earlier in camp.
WIDE RECEIVERS (5): Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, Cedrick Wilson Jr., A.T. Perry, Bub Means
Mason Tipton was coming on strong in camp until he got injured, so that makes him more of a practice squad candidate for now. Perry had an up-and-down camp but had some nice plays in the final few weeks. If the Saints keep six, Stanley Morgan Jr. could get a shot due to his special teams play, or Kevin Austin after he had some impressive work toward the end of camp.
TIGHT ENDS (3): Juwan Johnson, Foster Moreau, Dallin Holker
Johnson returned to the active roster at the end of camp, Moreau was a lock and undrafted rookie Holker has done enough to get the third tight end spot (or fourth, depending on how Hill is viewed). However, if Holker's recent ankle injury is serious, then Michael Jacobson could have a shot here.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (9): Erik McCoy, Cesar Ruiz, Taliese Fuaga, Trevor Penning, Landon Young, Olisaemeka Udoh, Lucas Patrick, Kyle Hergel, Shane Lemieux
Nick Saldiveri could get placed on IR after missing most of training camp. Seven spots feel fairly set after that (even though Young and Penning have had their struggles), leaving two open for utility players or for the Saints to claim a player from another team.
Hergel could play backup center or guard (although Patrick has position flexibility as well). Lemieux got the last spot here but the guard's place doesn't feel set in stone, especially if the Saints want more tackle depth instead. Look for the team to scour waivers for any potential new linemen.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (9): Cameron Jordan, Chase Young, Carl Granderson, Payton Turner, Isaiah Foskey, Bryan Bresee, Khalen Saunders, Nathan Shepherd, Khristian Boyd
Young has made an instant impact to this defensive line, and he'll be playing a lot next to Granderson, with Jordan occasionally moving inside. The biggest question on this list is Isaiah Foskey, but the team feels that he's taken a step forward from last year. That might not earn him playing time right away, but nobody on the defensive line has stepped up to unseat him. One practice squad candidate: Defensive end Niko Lalos, who has had some impressive plays this year.
LINEBACKERS (6): Demario Davis, Pete Werner, Willie Gay, Anfernee Orji, D'Marco Jackson, Jaylan Ford
The Saints keep an extra linebacker for now with Ford's injury status up in the air, but it's likely it won't stay that way. Orji had an impressive camp and can play special teams. Davis and Werner will see the field the most as starters, while Gay will get playing time in base defense.
CORNERBACKS (5): Marshon Lattimore, Paulson Adebo, Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alontae Taylor, Shemar Jean-Charles
Lattimore, Abedo and McKinstry have all dealt with injuries, so it's possible the Saints try to keep an extra DB in the early weeks depending on their return timeline. Jean-Charles gets the fifth and final spot for now, but it was a tough decision between him and Rico Payton, who missed a few practices with an injury but returned the final week.
SAFETIES (5): Tyrann Mathieu, Johnathan Abram, Will Harris, Jordan Howden, J.T. Gray
Nobody has taken the starting spot next to Mathieu and ran with it at this point. But the Saints didn't sign free agent Justin Simmons, so this group stays the same for now. Don't count out Roderic Teamer, however, as his play on special teams could land him a practice squad spot.
SPECIALISTS (3): Zach Wood (LS), Lou Hedley (P), Blake Grupe (K)
It is extremely tempting to put Smyth on the roster after he made a 65-yard field goal in practice last week. Smyth has a huge leg, but only a year of experience of actually kicking an American style football. Smyth had some misses inside of 40 yards that could give the Saints pause about making the switch this soon. With an extra practice squad spot reserved for the International Player Pathway, the Saints can keep Smyth around and continue to develop him.
Neither punter has cemented his case for the 53 and Allen said recently that it's still an open competition. Hedley gets the nod by virtue of his experience, as Allen said that "there's a comfort level" of knowing exactly what they're getting from him in terms of consistency.