The Saints’ preseason opener ended the way so many exhibition games do: with a last-gasp chance and no payoff. New Orleans fell 24-20 to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday at Caesars Superdome, and the final snap was an incompletion by Hunter Dekkers.
The scoreboard mattered less than the auditions, and one group in particular made the most noise. With Kellen Moore sitting all of his offensive and defensive starters, the backups got a real stage - and several of them delivered.
Linebacker Jaylan Ford was everywhere, piling up seven tackles and an interception on Jacksonville’s first two possessions. Jayden Price, working as Jonas Sanker’s backup at the Star spot, also picked off a pass.
Cornerback Martin Emerson added three pass breakups. Those are the kinds of plays that carry over from practice and stick in a coach’s mind, especially when the depth chart starts getting real.
Special teams, though, was a mixed bag. Ty Chandler gave the unit a jolt right away by taking the opening kickoff back 86 yards, setting up a touchdown just 21 seconds into the game.
After that, the picture got messier. Ryan Wright opened with a booming 55-yard punt, then followed it with one that traveled only 15 yards.
The Saints were flagged on four special teams plays, and Charlie Smyth missed a 52-yard field goal. Tanner Brown, who is competing with Smith for the kicking job, made both of his tries, including a 49-yarder, and looks to have a slight edge for now.
Quarterback play also added a little more intrigue. A year ago, Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough were in a battle for the starting job; Rattler won it, then lost the role to Shough nine games into the season.
This time, there was no doubt about the top spot, with Shough now the team’s clear No. 1.
But the backup race may be worth watching. Rattler went 8 of 11 for 42 yards, was sacked twice and also coughed up a fumble.
Zach Wilson answered with 11 completions on 16 attempts for 145 yards and a touchdown, making the fight for QB2 look a lot more interesting after one preseason game.
In Other News...
Saints Preseason Just Made Several Roster Battles Feel A Lot More Tense
The Saints preseason has started to sharpen a few of the roster fights that were already hanging over camp, and the kicking competition is suddenly one of the most watchable. Charlie Smyth missed a 52-yard try against Jacksonville, while Tanner Brown was perfect on his two attempts, adding another layer to a battle that has already featured ups and downs as New Orleans sorts through several spots before the roster has to be trimmed.
Quarterback, running back and wide receiver are all still live questions, too, which makes every preseason rep feel a little heavier than usual. Kellen Moore has seen enough across camp to know these decisions will not be made on one snap or one night, but the Saints are at the point where performances are starting to separate, and the tension around those jobs only grows when one player keeps missing chances and another keeps taking advantage. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Running Back Depth Just Forced A Tough New Decision
The Saints running back room was already thin before the latest preseason setback, and now it has become a real roster problem. Audric Estime went down during a preseason game, adding to the injuries already affecting Kendre Miller and Devin Neal, and the team is suddenly staring at a depth chart with very little margin for error behind the top options.
With CJ Donaldson and Ty Chandler the only remaining backups, New Orleans may have little choice but to look outside the building before the regular season starts. How the Saints answer that need will be one of the more important roster questions in the final stretch of camp, because a position that once looked crowded has quickly turned into one of the teams most vulnerable spots. [Read more 🡒]
Kellen Moores Saints Plan Says A Lot About Two Young Pieces
After a joint practice with the Jaguars, the Saints took a cautious route in their first preseason game and kept several starters on the sideline, a reminder that August is as much about evaluation as it is about preserving the depth chart. Among the players left out was linebacker Danny Stutsman, who has already carved out a defined role in the defense, while Vernon Broughton also sat despite being in line for more snaps because of an injury elsewhere on the roster.
Bryce Lance was part of that same conservative approach, with the rookie held out for now after a minor injury, though the expectation is that he will get his preseason work in later on. For a team trying to sort through young pieces without exposing them too soon, the decisions around Stutsman, Lance and Broughton say plenty about how the staff views their place in the bigger picture, even if the final answers are still coming. [Read more 🡒]