Offensive Depth Chart Concerns for the Saints

The Saints have some work to do on the offensive side of the ball, but what are the most important spots to look at?

Author:
John Hendrix
Publish date:
Apr 15, 2022 10:33 AM EDT

The Saints still have more questions than answers as we get closer to the draft, but those will be addressed after the next couple of weeks play out. New Orleans has major roster spots that need attention, and the team figures to use a combination of the draft and free agency to continue building out their 2022 squad.

In particular, the offense was a very sore spot last season. Things were pretty promising in the early stages of the season, but after Jameis Winston went down, things went pretty downhill. New Orleans had many injuries that they dealt with, and did what they could to compete. However, it ended up seeing them fall short of a playoff berth for the first time in several seasons.

We take a look at the state of the team's depth chart, diving into some positions that are a little bit concerning. Bob Rose did a nice job previewing the entire roster's outlook at the beginning of the month, so be sure to check that out.

Running Back

Current Depth: Alvin Kamara, Mark Ingram, Tony Jones Jr., Josh Adams

The biggest question looms on how the legal process plays out for Kamara that stems from his Las Vegas arrest back in February. The hearing is set for April 25, and even if the star running back avoids charges, he could still face league discipline. Mark Ingram would seemingly start for Kamara, but the depth behind him leaves a lot to the imagination.

New Orleans lost Ty Montgomery to the Patriots in free agency, while Dwayne Washington remains a free agent. Tony Jones Jr. was impressive in training camp and preseason, but was lackluster during the season. Josh Adams was added on a reserve/future deal.

The free agent market has options, but some of those players may have to wait for the draft to play out. The Saints could look to the draft to add to their running back room on Day 2 or 3 of the draft, but at minimum find some in the undrafted process.

Jameis Winston© Tommy Gilligan | 2021 Sep 12

Quarterback

Current Depth: Jameis Winston, Andy Dalton, Ian Book

Taysom Hill will be at tight end this season, and this is all Jameis Winston's team right now. Andy Dalton was brought in as a capable veteran backup, and Ian Book is currently the third option behind them. What's interesting about this outlook is that you probably will see another quarterback brought in on the roster at some point, but the question remains when and where.

How the Saints attack their first round will be telling when it comes to Winston. Malik Willis, Kenny Pickett, Matt Corral, and Desmond Ridder are popular names paired to New Orleans. Many have suggested that they'll trade up and package their two first-round picks to get one of the top guys, but it'll also depend on how the board plays out.

Winston should be in for a strong season, and the Saints have to ensure they give him good weapons other than Michael Thomas to help him succeed.

USATSI_17227411_168388561_lowres — Nov 21, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New Orleans Saints guard Cesar Ruiz (51) plays against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Offensive Line

Current Tackle Depth: Ryan Ramczyk (RT), James Hurst (LT), Landon Young, Ethan Greenidge, Jerald Hawkins
Current Guard Depth: Cesar Ruiz (RG), Andrus Peat (LG), Calvin Throckmorton, Forrest Lamp
Current Center Depth: Erik McCoy, Cesar Ruiz, Cohl Cabral

It's pretty easy to see why the Saints would look at using one of their first-round picks on an offensive tackle. For now, James Hurst gets the nod at left tackle to protect Jameis Winston's blindside, and Andrus Peat's health and contract commitment should put him back at left guard. Erik McCoy enters a contract year to anchor the middle, while Ryan Ramczyk should be back to full strength, which will be a huge boost to the offensive line.

The biggest question outside of left tackle is what happens with Cesar Ruiz. Doug Marrone certainly can help him out, and it's important to remember that his name was floated out as part of potential compensation to land Deshaun Watson from the Texans. Could the Saints move Ruiz during the draft? That isn't a farfetched thought.

It'll be interesting to see if Calvin Throckmorton can push for more playing time after doing pretty well in place of Peat. The offensive line has to be a strong area for the Saints if they want to improve offensively, and last year showed the importance of having stellar depth. Right now, the group has plenty of opportunity.

USATSI_16895205_168388561_lowres — Oct 3, 2021; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Deonte Harris (11), wide receiver Marquez Callaway (1) and wide receiver Ty Montgomery (88) look at a replay against New York Giants during the second half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Wide Receiver

Current Depth: Michael Thomas, Marquez Callaway, Tre'Quan Smith, Deonte Harty, Kevin White, Kawaan Baker, Kirk Merritt, Jalen McCleskey, Easop Winston Jr.

Getting Michael Thomas back is a big boost, and there's a familiar cast of characters returning for 2022. Lil'Jordan Humphrey is expected to be in the mix as well, but has not officially joined the roster. Kirk Merritt is really the only new addition for the team, and while he is intriguing, the group is missing a few things.

Callaway, Smith, and Harty can all play big factors in the offense for the Saints. Of those, Callaway would be your No. 2 option currently, while Smith's value as a blocker is there and Harty's ability to stretch the field is coveted. New Orleans still needs help here, as the depth is unsettling.

The team was forced into situations last season where they had players playing that shouldn't have been, and the group was pretty horrendous. Having a consistent quarterback will help, but this is an area where Michael Thomas shouldn't have to do this alone. Getting good competition to battle on the depth chart will be key for the Saints, and there's still ways to do it.

Tight End

Current Depth: Adam Trautman, Nick Vannett, Taysom Hill, Juwan Johnson, J.P. Holtz, Ethan Wolf, Dylan Soehner

It's crazy to think, but there's seven tight ends on the roster right now. I can recall last season's issues that saw only two at practice at one point. Overall, this was a group that underperformed last season. There was some good promise from players like Juwan Johnson, but he didn't get used often in the season.

Both Adam Trautman and Nick Vannett missed time in the season, and we never got any notion of a big second-year leap from Trautman. Perhaps someone like J.P. Holtz assumes more of a Garrett Griffin role on the roster, but right now the pecking order should see Taysom Hill have a more prominent presence in the offense.

Things will certainly be interesting here for the Saints, and they need this group to pick it up from an underwhelming campaign last season.