The New Orleans Saints’ wide receiver room took another turn this week, and the latest move leaves them a little thinner than expected heading into the season.
After the Saints trimmed their roster to 53 players, the picture at receiver seemed settled. With Jordyn Tyson injured and expected to miss the first four games, New Orleans appeared ready to carry five wideouts instead of six.
That group looked to be Chris Olave, Devaughn Vele, Barion Brown, Bryce Lance and Kevin Austin Jr. Bub Means being released all but locked in that alignment, and Austin Jr. had been the favorite for the spot for most of the offseason thanks to the chemistry he had built, his consistency and the contested-catch ability that made him a steady option for the young quarterbacks.
Then things changed fast.
The Saints added two new players, and because of that, two roster spots had to open up. Austin Jr. ended up being one of the players cut, a decision that caught plenty of people off guard. Any 53-man roster can still shift before Week 1, but this one was especially surprising given why Austin Jr. had been on the team in the first place and how the receiver depth chart now looks.
That’s the bigger issue now: the Saints are dealing with injuries, and the room really needs at least five receivers. Right now, they only have four.
Yes, there are practice squad options, but the team still needs another body in place before the season starts. One more injury in this group could turn into a major problem.
The most obvious path is to bring in a veteran for that fifth spot. Elevating Trey Palmer from the practice squad would make sense.
Signing Marquez Valdes-Scantling is another option, especially after his release. He previously played for the Saints in Klint Kubiak’s offense and had some strong moments there.
He’s not the kind of receiver you lean on every snap, but he does bring the kind of big-play threat that can force defenses to pay attention when used the right way.
In Other News...
Former Saints Kicker Blake Grupe Just Got A Big NFL Chance
The Jets moved quickly to add some stability to their kicking picture, claiming Blake Grupe off waivers and immediately putting him in line to handle the job in Week 1. New York used its No. 2 waiver priority to grab the former Saints kicker, then turned around and cut veteran Jason Sanders before bringing him back on the practice squad.
Grupe now gets another real NFL opportunity after previous stops with New Orleans and Indianapolis, and the timing gives him a chance to establish himself right away. For the Saints, it is another reminder of how quickly kicking depth can change around the league, especially when a team decides it needs a fresh answer before the season starts. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Landed In The Middle Of A Colts Trade Fallout
Before free agency even began, the Colts sent linebacker Zaire Franklin to Green Bay for defensive tackle Colby Wooden, a move that was supposed to reshape the roster and create some competition up front. It did not take long for the deal to take on a different look, though, after Indianapolis moved on from Wooden during roster cutdowns.
The Saints ended up in the middle of the fallout by claiming Wooden off waivers, giving them a chance to see whether there is something worth developing in a player whose path changed almost as quickly as it was set. Colts general manager Chris Ballard has defended the trade as part of the competition he wanted to create, but for New Orleans it is simply another low-cost roster addition with a little more intrigue because of how he arrived. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Are Giving Danny Stutsman A Chance Pete Werner Cant Ignore
Danny Stutsman has started to carve out more room for himself in the Saints defense this preseason, even with Kaden Elliss and Pete Werner still sitting ahead of him on the depth chart. The rookie flashed the kind of tackling ability New Orleans liked last season, and the staffs willingness to get him on the field more often suggests they are not treating him like a long-term project anymore.
Pete Werner still has a firm hold on a starting spot, but the Saints are clearly testing different defensive looks that could put Stutsman in more prominent roles alongside Elliss. If that usage keeps growing, the conversation around the linebacker group could shift quickly, and Werner may find himself with a real challenge to keep the job he has long been expected to own. [Read more 🡒]