The first thing I'll say is a disclaimer: Don't read too much into these early depth charts, because it'd be a mistake.
With that in mind, let's read a little bit into the Saints' first depth chart, released ahead of the preseason opener against the Chiefs, because it did make a few things official in terms of roster battles.
Here are five things worth noting:
1. The Hurst-Peat roster battle is real
Anywhere you see an "or" listed on the depth chart, it means there is no established starter picked at this point (with one exception). It doesn't matter which name is listed first, and the battle is with the name directly below it. That's the case with Andrus Peat and James Hurst, a position battle I've talked about extensively. We haven't seen Peat at six consecutive practices due to a quad injury, and in this offseason that time missed gives Hurst a massive advantage. You're planning to start Trevor Penning at left tackle, and I want him working with a player he's familiar and comfortable with. It's possible Peat gets back and makes this race more interesting, but for now I know where I stand.
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2. The Juwan-Taysom battle is not real
Despite what I said above, the "or" listed between Juwan Johnson and Taysom Hill isn't indicative of a true roster battle. In reality, Taysom has his own position and the NFL just doesn't recognize it. In fantasy football terms you'd consider him a "flex," but in NFL terms he's a tight end. That said, whatever you call his role, Taysom is a starter. So is Juwan Johnson, if you're talking about traditional TE work. Anyone who watched the Saints last year understands how this platoon works, but it could be potentially misleading. Taysom isn't even the 2nd string option in terms of regular TE work (blocking), that'd be Foster Moreau, and I wouldn't be surprised if Jimmy Graham ends up catching more passes than Taysom this year. There is also a very real roster battle at CB2 between Paulson Adebo and Alontae Taylor, but that's been well documented and we don't get any more insight from this depth chart.
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3. Granderson is the guy
One of the roster battles of camp looks to be settled, at least for now, with Carl Granderson penciled in as the starter across from Cam Jordan. That was the case late in the 2022 season, so it makes sense. Carl has played well and he deserves the recognition. That said, I also think Payton Turner has had a high-quality offseason and I expect him to get regular and consistent reps regardless of whether he's technically the starter. If you can have a solid rotation across from Cam, you're in good shape.
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4. Young's position change
My read on the backup tackles appears to be correct. Storm Norton is the backup RT, while Landon Young has shifted over to be the backup left tackle. That's not as prestigious as it might sound. You only list players once on these depth charts, regardless of versatility, and I think if it came down to it, you'd shift Hurst to LT if Penning went down. That'd be the case whether he starts at LG or not. That'd effectively mean Young is the third string LT, which isn't a position that makes the roster. I think Max Garcia would be in a similar situation, and both would be premium practice squad candidates. Young has made the roster each of the past two seasons, so that'd be something of a change.
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5. Race for linebacker depth
There are roster spots to be had at linebacker behind Demario Davis and Pete Werner, and it seems we've got the early running order. D'Marco Jackson is the backup mike, which isn't a surprise. But the backup will, at least for now, appears to be second-year pro Nephi Sewell. The next on that list is Anfernee Orji. Those will be two players to watch throughout the preseason, particularly in coverage and on special teams. Andrew Dowell is out of the mix with a season-ending ACL tear. So who wants the job? These preseason games will tell the story.
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