The New Orleans Saints handled the Los Angeles Rams in preseason exhibition on Thursday night, and now they have to pivot into team-building mode by deciding 36 or so roster cuts by 3 p.m. CDT on Saturday. Some of those players released from their contracts should return on the practice squad, so here’s the six most-likely candidates.
QB J.T. Barrett
The cumulative passing stats are less than impressive (6 of 11 for 63 yards, 1 INT) but stashing Barrett on the practice squad for a year makes some sense. Drew Brees will obviously start, Teddy Bridgewater will be his understudy, and Taysom Hill will go wild on special teams. Tom Savage is a very likely trade candidate. You could do worse than Barrett as a last-ditch emergency option at quarterback. Last year, that was Willie Snead’s job.
DL Taylor Stallworth
Stallworth looked fine in the preseason, culminating a solid summer with a fumble recovered and sprinted in for a touchdown against the Rams late Thursday night. But the officials decided it was not meant to be with an iffy hands-to-the-face penalty. Stallworth may not be as great an option to make the squad as Devaroe Lawrence, but he could use a year on the practice squad.
WR Keith Kirkwood
Kirkwood had a strong summer and was looking good in training camp, often getting called over with Tre’Quan Smith to practice red zone situations with Drew Brees after practice. But a late-camp injury sidelined him and probably gets him on the practice squad to start the season. Kirkwood has plenty to offer as a possession receiver and has fans on the coaching staff, so he could get elevated to the active roster later if the starters can’t find consistency.
DB Linden Stephens
While he hasn’t made many plays on the ball, Stephens has been a large part of strong second halves from the Saints defense through his tight, consistent coverage. He’s got the physical tools New Orleans likes (6-foot-0, 193-pounds, with 4.4-second speed) which was why they prioritized him after the draft. I like his fit as a developmental project before really challenging for a roster spot next year.
TE Dan Arnold
Personally, I expect Arnold to make the team outright. He’s shown enough as a pass-catcher to warrant regular reps with Brees and Bridgewater during practice and possibly cameo in regular season games. But I’m not wholly convinced the Saints value him over someone like Michael Hoomanawanui, who has proven he can block well when asked – if he can get on the field.
DL Henry Mondeaux
The Saints have one of the deeper defensive lines leaguewide, which means a quality disruptive player like Mondeaux probably won’t make the cut. Mondeaux has been graded well by Pro Football Focus in run support while flashing at times as a pass rusher. Hopefully he sticks around for a year of pro conditioning to fill out his big frame (6-foot-5, 280-pounds).