The Saints are finally back on the field Saturday, and even with a preseason Week 1 lineup stripped down by limited starters, there’s still plenty to watch when Jacksonville comes to town. Both teams are keeping the heavy hitters mostly in reserve with a joint practice set for Thursday, which means the game itself becomes more about the depth chart battles than the headline names.
The clearest place to start is up front, where Spencer Rattler will again be the center of attention. The third-year quarterback beat out the competition last preseason and already has a meaningful sample of game reps as a starter.
He went 1-7 in that role last season, but his experience and talent should matter here. The catch is that he’ll likely be working behind a backup offensive line, which is not exactly the ideal setup for a quarterback who has already shown some trouble when pressure closes in.
That challenge gets sharper with Dillon Radunz out after tearing his ACL during training camp.
Even with the injuries and the uncertainty along the line, there are still a few names worth tracking. Jeremiah Wright could see more work if his shoulder injury allows it, and Saints fans should get another look at Torricelli Simpkins III, who flashed last season. For a group that has struggled for depth in recent years, this is a useful first test against a Jaguars pass rush that is young and still finding its footing.
The same kind of evaluation applies at receiver, where New Orleans has spent recent seasons walking a tightrope with thin depth behind the top options. The Saints tried to address that in the 2026 NFL Draft by adding three receivers across six rounds, and two of them - fourth-round pick Bryce Lance and sixth-round pick Barrion Brown - should see the most snaps in this one. Brown has stood out in camp and now gets a real chance to push for offensive work instead of settling into the special teams role he was originally drafted for.
Jacksonville’s secondary brings a few interesting names of its own, including Tulane’s Caleb Ransaw and cornerback Jarrian Jones. If Rattler and the Saints passing game show any life, it may come from early chemistry with those young receivers.
On the other side, the Saints’ secondary is one of the biggest questions entering the season, and Saturday should offer a first look at where things stand. Kool-Aid McKinstry leads a group that is heavily weighted toward rookies, and even with Martin Emerson Jr. added, the latest depth chart still points to McKinstry and Quincy Riley as the boundary corners. Riley should get a healthy amount of run in this one, with Emerson likely involved too.
Jacksonville’s receiver room gives New Orleans a worthwhile test. Brian Thomas Jr., Parker Washington, and Jakobi Meyers make up a strong trio, and while not all the starters are expected to play, at least one of them should be out there.
The Jaguars also have useful depth, with Travis Hunter still listed as a wideout and rookie receiver J0sh Cameron on the depth chart. Saturday should give a clearer picture of how Riley and Emerson are settling in, and it may also offer a glimpse of Jonas Sanker working in the slot.
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Jayden Price Is Making Noise In A Saints Battle That Isnt Settled
The Saints cornerback competition has been one of the more watched position battles in camp, and Jayden Price has made himself part of the conversation with a steady showing and the kind of versatility teams look for when sorting out the back end of the roster. He has been working as a backup slot cornerback option, which gives him a path to carve out a role if he keeps stacking solid practices and preseason snaps.
Prices place, though, is still very much up for grabs. New Orleans has not settled its depth chart at the position, and the competition around him remains tight as the preseason moves forward, leaving his roster chances tied to how well he can separate himself from the rest of the group before cut-down decisions arrive. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Preseason Opener Could Shake Up More Than A Few Roster Spots
With the starters staying on the sideline for Fridays preseason opener against the Jaguars, the Saints are turning the spotlight on the part of camp that usually decides the back end of a roster. This is the first real chance for depth players and rookies to turn training-camp buzz into something more permanent, and a handful of names have already surfaced as the ones worth tracking. Running backs Audric Estime and C.J. Donaldson, receivers Bryce Lance, Barion Brown and Kevin Austin, and linemen Jeremiah Wright and Christen Miller all enter the game with something to prove.
The roster math is only getting tighter because several players have been slowed by injuries or practice restrictions, limiting how much of a case they can make before the preseason games start to matter. For a team trying to sort out reserve roles across multiple position groups, that makes every snap against Jacksonville useful and every mistake costly. The Saints may not be revealing their full hand yet, but the opener should at least clarify which camp standouts are starting to separate themselves from the pack. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Take An Intriguing Camp Swing On Defensive Line Help
The Saints added another arm to their defensive front by signing former Kentucky tackle Kahlil Saunders, giving training camp a fresh look along the line after placing offensive lineman Dillon Radunz on injured reserve. Saunders arrives as an undrafted rookie, but he brings SEC experience and the kind of athletic traits that tend to get a staffs attention once the pads come on.
For New Orleans, the appeal is pretty straightforward: a player with some versatility, some pass-rushing juice and a chance to carve out a spot in the rotation if he can hold up through camp. The challenge is just as clear, though, because the Saints are still sorting through a crowded competition and Saunders will have to do more than flash to stick on the final roster. [Read more 🡒]