Zach Wilson’s path to making the New Orleans Saints roster is hanging by a thread, and the numbers of the quarterback room are doing him no favors.
The former No. 2 overall pick is battling for what looks like one of the hardest spots on the team to win. Most roster projections have the Saints keeping only two quarterbacks, which would leave Wilson on the outside looking in. That’s despite the fact that he already survived the first round of cuts and showed enough in one solid preseason game to make head coach Kellen Moore think twice.
At the moment, Wilson’s chances are being treated as a coin flip. Spencer Rattler appears to have the edge because he has prior experience with the Saints, and that matters in a competition this tight. The backup situation is also complicated by the fact that New Orleans is reportedly open to trade calls for Rattler, who is considered to have more value than Wilson.
That wrinkle could work in Wilson’s favor. If the Saints move Rattler, it would suggest they like Wilson enough to keep him as Tyler Shough’s backup. Another name to keep in mind is Hunter Dekkers, who also factors into the mix and helps Wilson’s case.
Still, the current read is clear: Wilson is still a coin flip to make this roster, and he may end up as the odd man out. If he doesn’t stick on the 53, the practice squad remains a possible landing spot.
Cut down day is Sunday, Aug. 30 at 4 p.m. MT.
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Saints Make A Surprising Secondary Cut Fans Didn't See Coming
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Burgess is reportedly a candidate to return on the practice squad, which would keep him in the building if the Saints want his experience available. Even so, the decision points to a clear youth movement in the defensive backfield, with younger players expected to handle bigger roles as the team settles its roster. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Roster Cuts Begin As Familiar Depth Faces Uncertain Future
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For a team trying to sort out the bottom of the roster, these decisions are rarely final in the way they first appear. The players now enter the waiver process and still have a path back to the Saints practice squad if they go unclaimed, which keeps a small window open as the deadline approaches and the last pieces of the roster picture come into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Fans Can Now See What That Deion Jones Trade Really Was
What looked like a small late-summer move between the Saints and 49ers has already turned into one of those preseason transactions that says more about roster juggling than long-term plans. New Orleans sent linebacker Deion Jones to San Francisco for running back Zamir White, a swap made to help each team cover a need for the final exhibition games rather than a deal built around a permanent fit.
Neither side ended up carrying the move beyond the preseason finale, with both players released by their new teams afterward. For Saints fans, the more interesting part may be what comes next for Jones, who could still circle back to the 49ers through the practice squad if San Francisco wants to keep him in the building a little longer. [Read more 🡒]