Preseason Week 1 is in the books, and the NFC South has already given us a little bit of everything: a win in Tampa Bay, a rough night in Atlanta, a loss in Carolina, and a Saints performance that showed plenty even without the final result.
Tampa Bay opened with the best result of the bunch, taking down the New York Jets 24-16. First-round pick Rueben Bain Jr. did not play, but the Buccaneers still got contributions from several rookies.
WR Ted Hurst caught two passes, CB Keionte Scott turned in a really strong performance, and UDFA QB Jalon Daniels looked good in his debut. The Bucs now move on to the Kansas City Chiefs, and QB Baker Mayfield will be playing.
Bain Jr. could also see some game action.
Carolina’s second preseason game ended differently, with a loss to the Buffalo Bills. QB Haynes King, who stood out in the Hall of Fame Game, was sidelined by injury, and Bryce Young did get a few throws in.
After that, though, the offense had a hard time getting anything going against the Bills defense. RB AJ Dillon ended up as the team’s leading receiver, which came on just two catches for 29 yards.
Carolina’s next matchup is against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and it would not be a surprise to see Young and the starters get more snaps. Another rookie worth watching is Monroe Freeling, Carolina’s first-round RT, who had a decent Week 2 against Buffalo.
Atlanta had the roughest outing of the division. The Falcons scored only 7 points and gave up 27 to the Denver Broncos, and the quarterback play did not help matters.
That included Tua Tagovailoa, who is part of Atlanta’s QB competition. Michael Penix had been viewed as the favorite, but this was still a battle, and the first look was not a good one.
The Falcons face the Indianapolis Colts next, and Penix is probably still out because of his injury recovery. That leaves open the question of whether this is the chance for Tagovailoa to bounce back.
New Orleans also came away with a loss, but the Saints had a lot more to like than the final score suggests. The deeper part of the roster struggled late, and that helped fuel the Jaguars’ comeback, but there were still some clear positives.
WR Bub Means finished with 77 yards, QB Zach Wilson looked like the best QB behind Tyler Shough, and EDGE Michael Heldman posted two sacks in his first game. The Saints head into a matchup with the Los Angeles Rams, where their defense will get a test against Rams first-round pick Ty Simpson, who had a really good first game at QB.
Wilson’s showing also made the Saints’ backup quarterback battle a lot more interesting.
In Other News...
Saints Suddenly Need One Offensive Move They Cant Ignore
The Saints offense took a heavy hit this week with rookie wide receiver Jordyn Tyson expected to miss about two months because of a hamstring injury, while Alvin Kamara will be sidelined for roughly a month after spraining his MCL. Those losses leave New Orleans scrambling for answers in two different parts of the offense, and the timing makes the situation even more awkward as the team tries to keep its playbook intact without two of its most useful pieces.
So the front office is at least looking at outside help, with free-agent names like Tyreek Hill and Austin Ekeler coming into the conversation as ways to steady the unit. Any move would have to balance immediate impact with fit, and for a Saints team already dealing with a stretched roster, the next decision could shape how well the offense survives the next stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Former Saints UDFA Just Got An Unexpected Second Chance
A former Saints undrafted free agent has found his path back into college football, at least for now. Zxavian Harris, the Ole Miss defensive tackle who spent three months in New Orleans before being released, is one of 30 college athletes suing the NCAA in Louisiana state court over what they argue is a breach of the organizations covenant of good faith by not giving them the same five-year playing opportunity afforded to past and future players.
For Harris, the ruling reopens a door that had seemed shut after his stint with the Saints. He now has the chance to continue his college career, with the immediate decision centered on whether to return to Ole Miss or look elsewhere through the transfer route, a choice that adds another layer to an already unusual football journey. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Quarterback Turnover Just Took Another Unexpected Turn
Another former Saints quarterback is on the move, and this one gives the New York Giants a little more New Orleans flavor on the depth chart. Jake Haener, a 2023 fourth-round pick by the Saints, has signed with the Giants after earlier spending time with the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason. It is the latest reminder of how much quarterback churn the Saints have already navigated, even before training camp really settles into focus.
The Giants now roster two ex-Saints passers, with Jameis Winston also in the mix, while New Orleans has moved on from Derek Carrs retirement and into a younger room led by Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough. Haeners path is another small but notable twist in a quarterback landscape that has changed quickly for the Saints, and his next stop adds one more layer to a position group that remains very much in transition. [Read more 🡒]