The New Orleans Saints are kicking off their mandatory minicamp this week. While it'll mostly be a glorified walkthrough, it's still the first extended opportunity for some real offseason competitions to kick off.
So what are they? That's what we broke down in the latest episode of the Inside Black & Gold podcast. Check out the full episode in the player below. Can't see the embed? Click here.
Check out a quick breakdown of each battle below, but a few things to keep in mind:
- These are primarily for starting or high-usage roles. If a starting role isn't listed, that's because I see it as a position with an established starter. Guys can always get beat out, but at this point I wouldn't call them a competition (for example, both safety spots)
- If a player isn't listed in a particular battle, that doesn't mean they're not competing for another role. For example, not every TE is contending to be the blocking TE.
- We're still so early in the process that a lot of this could change by the time camp starts. This is simply a jumping off point.
OFFENSE
QB1/2
- Who: Spencer Rattler, Tyler Shough and ... Jake Haener(?)
- Why: Kellen Moore will maintain that Jake Haener is a legitimate part of this QB competition. He's dealing with an injury right now, but I won't believe it until I see it. As of this point it feels like Tyler Shough vs Spencer Rattler and the two look pretty close. Take that with a grain of salt. We won't really know anything until camp starts and there's an actual pass rush, and I don't think anything gets decided until the preseason games. Still, this will be a lot of fun, and if Haener is in the mix it'll be a whirlwind. Also, keep in mind that there's a backup job to be won, too.
Related
RB2/3
- Who: Kendre Miller, Devin Neal, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Marcus Yarns (etc)
- Why: Alvin Kamara is at the top of the depth chart. After that, I truly think it's anyone's guess. Kendre Miller is the most talented and he's still the odds-on favorite, but he's got a lot to prove. We've seen basically everybody getting in work with the first team during OTAs, so there's still some filtering to do. Somebody will have to step up and show that they deserve to be the complement to AK. Right now it's anybody's ballgame.
WR4/5 (big body)
- Who: Cedrick Wilson, Bub Means, Donovan Peoples-Jones (or TBD?)
- Why: The Saints have three receivers atop the depth chart to feel confident in, but all three are slight of frame. There's a role to be one as a bigger-bodied guy who can make hay as a blocker, and as of now these are the three names I'm looking at. I wouldn't be surprised if there's a signing to add to this mix, but it's a position to be one (and they'll also have to contribute on special teams).
LEFT GUARD
- Who: Trevor Penning, Dylan Radunz
- Why: It's tough to call this a legit competition right now, because the only way Radunz has a legit shot at the job would be if Penning leaves the door open. He could very easily do that, but we'll have to wait until the pads come on to get a good idea. Either way, and barring injuries, this is the only OL spot that I see as up for grabs.
Related
TE3 (blocking)
- Who: Jack Stoll, Moliki Matavao (etc.)
- Why: The Saints don't have a fullback on the roster, but they'll still need someone to block. That means, most likely, that an extra TE gets kept around in an H-back role. Taysom Hill is a guy in the mix as well, but his injury situation makes it complicated. As of now I'd guess Jack Stoll is the guy, but we'll have to see how things develop. I'll also mention that just because you're not seeing a name like Dallin Holker here, that doesn't mean they're out of the mix as a TE on this roster, I just don't see them as candidates for this specific role.
DEFENSE & SPECIAL TEAMS
EDGE (various positions)
- Who: Chase Young, Carl Granderson, Cam Jordan, Isaiah Foskey
- Why: These are just the names that come to mind, but this could change. One of the biggest things to watch will be who rises to the top at the outside linebacker spots. There will be a lot of discovery going on throughout camp at these positions and we won't really know until the pads come on.
INTERIOR (DE2)
- Who: Nathan Shepherd, Vernon Broughton, Khalen Saunders, Jonah Williams
- Why: I feel confident that Davon Godchaux is the nose tackle and Bryan Bresee will be a star at the 3/4 DE spot, but who plays on the other side in base reps? At this point I think it'll be one of the four names listed above. You want a rotation of these players so it's definitely not all or nothing.
Related
CB2/3 (sub packages)
- Who: Isaac Yiadom, Quincy Riley
- Why: At this point I feel confident that Alontae Taylor will be the "star" in Brandon Staley's scheme (call it the nickel if you want) and Kool-Aid McKinstry will be starting on the outside. I expect in base reps Alontae will be outside as well, but who is the other starter when he shifts inside? The question is going to be whether you prefer a higher floor or a higher ceiling. Ike Yiadom is a veteran and you know what to expect. Once the rookie gets on the field fully (he's been working back from the injury) we'll have a better idea of where this stands. Right now I'd lean toward the veteran because you can always make a change as things go.
PUNTER
- Who: Matt Hayball, James Burnip
- Why: I haven't even seen Burnip kick yet, but everything you read is very positive. Still, he'll have to prove he's a more trusted option and that's definitely not an easy thing to do for a rookie. Camp will be massive for him.
KICKER
- Who: Blake Grupe, Charlie Smyth
- Why: If Charlie Smyth didn't have a generational-type leg this wouldn't even be a discussion. Blake Grupe has been very good in his first two years and only seems to be getting better and more confident. Still, when the guy next to you is casually knocking through 65 yarders, there's always going to be something to prove. That said, for Charlie to win the job he'll have to prove he's at least as reliable from 60 and in as Grupe, because outside of a handful of extreme circumstances those are the kicks you'll actually be attempting. My money is on Blake, but Charlie will be a lot of fun to watch.
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