Projecting the Saints 53-Man Roster: Tight Ends

With Training Camp on the horizon and roster cuts beginning, the Saints final 53-man roster becomes clearer. But what surprises cuts will happen and which players will sport the Black and Gold this fall? The Saints News Network provides its projections for the Saints Tight Ends.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS TIGHT ENDS

Jared Cook
Josh Hill
Garrett Griffin
Adam Trautman (Rookie)
Jason Vander Laan (Opt-Out)
Cole Wick (Opt-Out)

LOCKS AT TIGHT END

Jared Cook, 12th NFL Season

Touchdown #Saints! 🙌

Drew Brees to Jared Cook for the 2nd time today! ⚜️ pic.twitter.com/YgrBmKZQyN
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) December 22, 2019

Last summer, the Saints signed Cook to a two-year, $15.5M after a Pro-Bowl appearance with the then Oakland Raiders. Cook played only 47% of the team’s offensive snaps and missed two games because of injury in his first year with the Saints. He also failed to find the end zone through the first four weeks of the season but ended the season on a tear, scoring five TDs over the regular season's final four weeks. His performance earned him a Pro Bowl selection for 2019, tied for the team lead in TD grabs (9), and eclipsed 700 yards receiving last season. Remaining healthy is vital for the Saints' offensive success in 2020.

Josh Hill, 8th NFL Season

Touchdown, New Orleans #Saints!

We’ve got a third TD by a @Saints tight end, this time it’s to Josh Hill! @drewbrees #SFvsNO

📺: FOX
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app
Watch free on mobile: https://t.co/D5AfU98qAh pic.twitter.com/SQYavgwtDf
— NFL (@NFL) December 8, 2019

Josh Hill set career highs across the board in 2019, posting 25 rec for 226 yards and picking up 13 first downs. The Sean Payton favorite may wow no one with his statistics, but shows his value in multiple phases of the game. A terrific run blocker, Hill excels in 22 personnel, goal-line sets, and can sneak out into his route tree. Hill’s brightest moment last season came on MNF against the Colts when he caught Drew Brees’ 540th career TD pass that broke the NFL’s all-time career record. Expect more of the same hard-nosed consistency from Hill in 2020.

Adam Trautman, 1st NFL Season

I was extremely impressed with @Saints 3rd Round pick Adam Trautman today. I loved his answer when I asked about the Saints moving up in the draft to select him. #WhoDat

Full interview: https://t.co/MaSCy6NdkU pic.twitter.com/OBSFCYQ1kI
— Jacob Hester (@JacobHester18) April 29, 2020

Trautman will become the first Dayton Flyer to appear in an NFL game since 1975 this season. According to Sean Payton, the 2019 Patriot League Player of the Year was one of “the best blocking TEs” in his class. Trautman displays tremendous size at 6’5 253 LBs and could become an immediate red zone threat for Drew Brees. The Williamsburg, MI native led Dayton in receiving with 70 rec for 916 yards and 14 TD during his Senior season.

PROJECTED CUT OR PRACTICE SQUAD TIGHT END

Garrett Griffin, 2nd NFL Season

Newly signed Garrett Griffin already finds the end zone

Also check out Mark Ingram 👀

(via @Saints) pic.twitter.com/EJFTABl0cQ
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) January 20, 2019

Griffin has played in only three regular-season games for the Saints since signing as a UDFA in 2016. In the 2019 NFC Championship game, Griffin caught the game’s opening TD giving the Saints a 13-0 lead. Griffin spent the 2019 season on the Saints practice squad and did not dress for a regular-season game. With three TEs above him on the depth chart, expect Griffin to end up back on the practice squad again in 2020 or find himself a new home following training camp.

OPT-OUTS

TE Jason Vander Laan and TE Cole Wick decided to opt-out of the 2020 NFL regular season.

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