The Saints’ preseason opener had a little bit of everything: a jolt of early electricity, a quarterback who looked ready to seize the moment, and then a second-half fade that put the roster depth under the microscope.
For two quarters at the Caesars Superdome on Saturday afternoon, Kellen Moore’s revamped offense had New Orleans rolling. The Saints jumped to a 20-6 halftime lead over the Jacksonville Jaguars, powered by a massive special teams return, efficient quarterback play, and encouraging flashes from young talent.
Then the game turned. Once the second- and third-string units took over after halftime, Jacksonville outscored New Orleans 18-0 and walked away with a 24-20 preseason win.
The result won’t count in the standings, but the film matters plenty with roster cuts approaching. And the opening act delivered some clear answers.
Ty Chandler wasted no time setting the tone. On the opening kickoff under the league’s modern alignment rules, he caught the ball, found space off the right guard, and took off for an 86-yard return just 21 seconds into the game.
It was the longest preseason kickoff return by a Saint since Larry Beavers’ 97-yarder in 2010. One play later, Audric Estimé finished the drive with a 9-yard touchdown, and New Orleans was up 7-0 before the crowd had even settled in.
That kind of burst is exactly what special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi has been chasing, and Chandler’s return suggested the Saints may have a real weapon there in 2026.
At quarterback, Spencer Rattler got the first shot, but Zach Wilson ended up owning the night’s most impressive offensive stretch. Rattler finished 8 of 11 for 42 yards and lost a fumble.
Wilson, working with second-team skill players, looked smooth and decisive while pushing the ball downfield. He went 11 of 16 for 145 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions for a 123.2 passer rating.
Wilson’s biggest throws came on explosive connections with Bub Means, who beat coverage for gains of 27 and 37 yards, and on a sharp 28-yard post to Barion Brown. He finished the best drive of the evening with a 1-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end Oscar Delp after Jayden Price came up with an interception. Tyler Shough and Rattler still sit at the center of the quarterback competition, but Wilson made a strong case that the Saints’ backup depth is no small thing.
The young pass catchers made sure the offense didn’t stop with Wilson. With Chris Olave and Juwan Johnson out, Bub Means and Barion Brown stepped into bigger roles and looked the part.
Means led all receivers with four catches for 77 yards and showed real body control on contested sideline grabs. Brown matched him with four receptions for 53 yards, and his 4.32 speed showed up in live action.
There were plenty of defensive bright spots too. Jaylan Ford intercepted a Nick Mullens pass at the Saints’ 4-yard line to snuff out an early Jaguars threat, and Michael Heldman added two first-half sacks as New Orleans finished with four sacks on the day.
But the final two quarters also showed where the Saints still have work to do. Jacksonville’s comeback was driven in part by undrafted running back J’Mari Taylor, who piled up 78 second-half rushing yards and finished a late drive with a 2-yard touchdown run with under five minutes left.
The kicking battle remains unsettled as well. Tanner Brown connected from 49 and 29 yards, while Charlie Smyth missed a 52-yarder wide right in the third quarter.
For the Saints, the opener offered a clean snapshot of both the upside and the unfinished business. Means and Brown both boosted their cases, the defense and special teams made noise, and the second-half drop-off made the depth concerns impossible to ignore.
New Orleans now heads to Southern California on Monday, August 17, for a week of West Coast training camp practices.
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 🡒]