The New Orleans Saints had some bombshell moves to drop on cutdown day, and one thing is pretty clear to WWL's Bobby Hebert.
“As far as the kickers, that’s rolling the dice," Hebert said on SportsTalk with Mike Detillier, "because that’s a different animal as far as, we’re basically going with rookies.”
Listen to the full breakdown from Hebert and Detillier in the player below. Can't see the embed? Click here.
He's referring, of course, to the decision to trade longtime kicker Wil Lutz to the Broncos and handing the job to UDFA Blake Grupe. The team doubled down by releasing Blake Gillikin and handing the punter job to 30-year-old rookie Lou Hedley.
The four players were locked in a competition all throughout camp with both appearing too close to call either way.
“If you have two players that are very equal in talent, maybe ability, they’re always going to keep the cheaper one," Hebert continued. "That’s just economics.”
But the move that caught both Hebert and Detillier the most offguard was the decision to move on from veteran Bradley Roby, who had been manning the slot position throughout camp. The decision likely signals that second-year pro Alontae Taylor will take over the nickel corner role, and Hebert fully expects the Titans to attack him relentlessly in Week 1.
"They know the skins on the wall that Bradley Roby has. You’re always trying to attack the weakest link," Hebert said. "So that’s telling me, that if you’re going to go with Alontae Taylor in the slot, he’s going to have a number of opportunities to see if he can make plays.”
