Saints Training Camp Preview: Players projected to be Released

Over the last few days, the NFL has announced the cancellation of its 2020 preseason games, allowing teams a prolonged training camp to set their regular-season rosters. There is still some speculation that the league will allow teams to carry an expanded roster into the regular season over the normal 53-man limit plus practice squad. Again, no such proposal has not been approved by the NFL and NFLPA. The NFL has informed teams that their training camp rosters must be at 80 players instead of the usual 90-man start.

The New Orleans Saints currently have 86 players under contract, plus their four rookie draft picks who remain unsigned. New Orleans must release ten players to get to the new 80-man roster size before the camp's official start. The most logical players to go first would be from the team's undrafted rookie crop this spring. New Orleans has had great luck with undrafted rookies over the years, however, and there are several spots on this deep squad where the depth chart is already all but set. Here are the ten players who I think that the Saints will most likely part with to get to the NFL's new roster limit.

BLAKE GILLIKIN (P - UDFA ROOKIE)

Veteran P Thomas Morstead is one of the league's best and never in jeopardy of being challenged for his job. Teams will often bring in punters or placekickers for extra legs in camp, allowing them to audition for other teams or a spot on the practice squad. Gillikin, an undrafted rookie from Penn State, has a powerful leg and is a terrific directional punter. New Orleans could keep him around for an extra leg if they expand the practice squads, but it seems more likely to save this spot for competition at other positions.

TAQUAN MIZZELL (WR/RB)

Mizzell spent last season on the Saints practice squad after 200 all-purpose yards in nine games of action with the Chicago Bears in 2018. The 5’10” 194-Lb Mizzell had an uphill climb to crack the New Orleans roster made even more difficult when the team signed WR/RB Ty Montgomery. Mizzell's versatility will land him on an NFL roster, but there are already too many players with his similar skill set that do it better than for it to be with the Saints.

TOMMYLEE LEWIS (WR)

Lewis returned to the Saints, where he spent the first three years of his career, after spending 2019 on the Detroit Lions practice squad. The 5’7” 168-Lb WR/KR caught 20 passes for 252 yards and 2 touchdowns in his three seasons with the Saints while averaging 9.3 yards per punt return and 22 yards per kickoff return. New Orleans has several more talented receivers currently on the roster competing for spots, and an All-Pro option in Deonte Harris at kick returner. Lewis had plenty of opportunities to produce for the Saints in three years and provided little. His next stint with New Orleans will be much shorter.

COLE WICK (TE)

The 26-Yr old Wick had spent time on the Lions, 49ers, and Titans' active rosters in his first two years before landing on the Saints practice squad last year. The top three TE spots are locked-in with Pro Bowler Jared Cook, reliable blocker Josh Hill, and rookie 3rd round pick Adam Trautman. Better receiving options would also be available for the practice squad in Jason Vander Laan and the potential conversion of rookie UDFA WR Juwan Johnson to tight end.

ETHAN GREENIDGE (G)

Greenidge spent the 2019 season on the New Orleans practice squad as a rookie after an inconsistent preseason. A dominant player at 6’4” 335-Lbs that developed well according to coaches last year, Greenidge might be a victim of the numbers crunch on a deep offensive line. The team signed veteran G/T James Hurst this offseason and added several talented undrafted linemen following the draft with better versatility than Greenidge has shown.

DARRIN PAULO (OT - UDFA ROOKIE)

Paulo was a powerful LT at Utah who projects to the right side at the next level. He’s explosive off the snap, sets a wide base, and has good upper mass movement in pass protection but isn't nimble on his feet and has a slow change of direction. In past years Paulo would be a perfect developmental tackle for the practice squad initially but looks like he lacks the versatility or initial impact to grab a roster spot in a limited training camp.

DERRICK KELLY (OT)

Another player from the 2019 Saints practice squad, the 6’5” 320-Lb Kelly, has a year in the team's system to his advantage. Like Paulo and Greenidge, his disadvantage is that he doesn't have the versatility to play multiple positions like so many other linemen on the New Orleans roster.

GUS CUMBERLANDER (DE - UDFA ROOKIE)

Cumberlander is a physically gifted and potentially disruptive pass rusher along the edge but went undrafted because injuries throughout his college career plagued him. The 6’6” 256-Lb Cumberlander lacks the versatility to play inside like many of the Saints other defensive linemen and doesn't have the coverage skills to fit the outside linebacker position.

JALEN DALTON (DT)

Once a four-star recruit at North Carolina, Dalton disappointed in a collegiate career full of injury and inconsistency before spending time on the Bears practice squad last year. He has good size at 6’6” 300-Lbs, but New Orleans already has a deep pool of talent at DT. Additionally, veterans David Onyemata and Mario Edwards Jr. and rookie UDFA DT Malcolm Roach also can play DE in some alignments, a versatile trait that Dalton cannot match.

CHRIS JOHNSON (S)

Johnson is a raw prospect with terrific size but plays a position where the Saints have great depth. Marcus Williams and free-agent addition Malcolm Jenkins are the starters. Second-year Chauncey Gardner-Johnson is a budding star who can play either safety spot and serves as the team's top slot CB. J.T. Gray is one of the NFL's best special teamers, and S Saquan Hampton impressed coaches last preseason.

No offseason workouts and eliminating the entire preseason schedule because of those Covid-19 shutdowns have handcuffed NFL teams and the incoming players for each organization. Players who would have normally faced an uphill battle to make the team now face even bigger challenges with limited chances to make an impression on coaches. The NFL may yet approve the expansion of rosters for the regular season. However, the reduction of all rosters from 90 to 80 players to begin training camp is just the first of what is sure to be several controversial decisions to come.