Welcome back, folks. It’s finally that time of the year. The regular season has arrived and it’s officially game week. We’ve all been looking forward to the Week 1 match-up against the rival Atlanta Falcons since the schedule released back in the Spring and now the wait is finally over. In this article, we’ll go position by position and discuss what you can expect from each group in the coming season. Obviously we’ll spend more time on the starters, but we’ll also cover the depth of each position and who are some lesser known guys that could see the field. With that being said, let’s kick this thing off.
Offense
Quarterback
The first position on the docket is clearly the easiest, because of obvious reasons. Drew Brees is unanimously considered to be one of the top-4 elite quarterbacks in the NFL and he is a sure-fire Hall-of-Famer once his name is eligible to go on the ballot after he retires. He made headlines at the beginning of training camp stating that even at the age of 35, he believes he can play for 10 more seasons. That may be a bit of a stretch, but it does ensure that he’s not starting to feel as if he’s slowing down and starting to age. Considering he’s never relied on arm strength, it’s not inconceivable to believe that he could make it to 40. He’s deadly accurate and he uses his high intelligence to give himself an advantage over most other quarterbacks in the league. Rest assured, Saints fans, Mr. Brees very well could be back again for yet another 5,000 yard season.
Backing up Drew Brees this season will again be NFL veteran, Luke McCown. McCown had youngster Ryan Griffin breathing down his neck this preseason, but was able to hold the former Tulane standout off with a stellar four game stretch. McCown took advantage of the fact that Brees only played in one preseason game, starting in the other three and leading the 1st team offense to numerous touchdown drives. Clearly, no one wants to see anything happen to Brees, but McCown may have proved that the offense would actually be able to move the ball if he had to take over at any point. The aforementioned Ryan Griffin was cut from the 53-man roster, but passed through waivers unclaimed and now resides back on the Saints practice squad, where he spent most of the 2013 season.
Running Back
This backfield will likely continue to see as much rotation throughout games as any in the NFL. Mark Ingram, Pierre Thomas, Khiry Robinson, and even Travaris Cadet will see plenty of time on the field, being subject to be used as particular pieces in whatever Coach Sean Payton wants to do at certain times. Judging by the preseason, Ingram looks poised to lead the offense with the most carries out of any of these backs, which will hopefully lead to him leading the team in rushing. He is heading in to the regular season following a stellar preseason, in which he rushed for 156 yards on just 22 carries, good enough for a whopping 7.1 yards per carry. He also added both a 22 yard rushing touchdown and a 23 yard receiving touchdown. Robinson’s usage will likely mimic what it was in the two playoff games in 2013, making up about 40% of the total carries given to both he and Ingram. Look for him to be used more in the passing game this season, as well, as he slimmed down and improved his quickness out of the backfield. Speaking of passing game, veteran Saint Pierre Thomas has a chance to catch 90 passes this year. He led the NFL in receptions among running backs with 77 receptions with former Saint Darren Sproles not far behind with 71 and Sproles is now in Philadelphia. Thomas will continue to evolve more in to a receiving back for the Saints, as they lean more and more on Ingram and Robinson to carry the load in the rushing attack, but if one of those two get injured or struggle, don’t be surprised to see the veteran step back in to his old role if needed. Travaris Cadet is the dark-horse to see some time on passing downs, as he could also fill in for some of Sproles’ absent production through the air. Cadet is very much the same type of player regarding skill set and could be considered to be as many like to say, a “poor man’s Darren Sproles”.
Wide Receiver
Almost exactly a year ago, this position had possibly the most question marks on the team and very well could have been considered the weakest group on the roster. Marques Colston wasn’t completely healthy heading in to the season, but still was the surest bet of the group. Joe Morgan had already been lost for the year with a torn ACL, Robert Meachem was back after being cut following a very disappointing season in San Diego, Kenny Stills was nothing but a rookie 5th round pick at the time, and Nick Toon had yet to prove he belonged on an NFL field. Most of those questions have since been answered and this positional group looks to be a strong suit of the team heading in to 2014. Marques Colston is as healthy as ever, much in part thanks to the coaching staff’s new plan to rest him more often and keep him fresher for game days. Kenny Stills is fighting a nagging quad injury, but is still coming off of a very impressive rookie campaign, proving he deserves to be a starting receiver in the league. After being cut a few days ago, Robert Meachem was signed back to the team today and will continue to provide a down field threat and excellent blocking on the outside. Joe Morgan is coming off of a very good preseason in which he showed no ill-effects from his surgically repaired knee. Nick Toon had a pretty decent training camp and preseason and looks eager to show what he can do in meaningful games. Finally, the most exciting addition to the New Orleans Saints is Brandin Cooks, the team’s 2014 1st round draft pick out of Oregon State. Cooks had over 1,600 yards in his final season at OSU and quickly showed that he is going to be a lot of fun to watch in the NFL. He dazzled coaches and fans time and time again throughout camp practices and preseason games, catching everything that came his way, while showing the electrifying speed and quickness that he was said to have coming out of the draft. Watch for the Saints to use Cooks all over the field, including lined up outside, in the slot, and possible even in the backfield at times. Many look at him as the replacement for Darren Sproles, but I urge you to dream bigger than that. He’s not some type of hybrid running back/receiver such as Dexter McCluster, who will line up as a split end. He’s a true wide receiver that has the skills to be used just about anywhere. I understand that it’s easier to compare him to someone who’s worn black and gold, but think of Percy Harvin with Minnesota. He spent most of his time split out as a receiver, but they did line him up in the back field and/or give him the ball on reverses. If one thing is for sure, he landed in the best situation possible when he was drafted by Coach Payton and the Saints.
Tight End
Much like at quarterback, there’s not a lot to be said here that doesn’t already speak for itself. After an off-season full of questions revolving around Jimmy Graham’s contract negotiations and his franchise tag dispute, the All-Pro tight end was finally locked down for the next four years and will continue to be a mainstay in this offense. Graham will be entering his 5th year in the NFL and only his 6th season in the sport. What does that mean? As good as he’s been over the past few years, he’s still not yet at his peak. He’s still learning the game, he’s still going to improve, and he will only get more dominant. Do you believe that he didn’t hear the complaints that he disappeared in big games last season? I can promise you that he continued to work his butt of this off-season and he will be out there to prove that he does not shy from the big moment.
Behind Graham will again be veteran Ben Watson and youngster Josh Hill. Both showed in camp and the preseason that they can continue to make plays when called upon.
Tackle
The tackle position will look the same as it did from Week 16 on last year with Terron Armstead holding down the left tackle position and Zach Strief holding it down at right tackle. Armstead was inserted for the now departed Charles Brown at left tackle going in to the Saints’ Week 16 match-up at Carolina last season and despite giving up a few sacks, he proved he had a future as the starter at the position. He only solidified that notion in the next few weeks, especially in the Divisional Round match-up against the eventual Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks. So much so that the Saints quickly released Charles Brown and penciled in Armstead as the starter for the 2014 season. Armstead looked solid in camp practices, holding his own in numerous heavy weight battles with both Cam Jordan and Junior Galette. Zach Strief was signed to a long term deal during the off-season, locking down his and the Saints’ future at the right tackle position. He was believed by many to be the top right tackle on the market during free agency, so the move to bring him back for the next five years was considered a good one by just about everyone.
Guard
If it’s possible for a position to improve, even while the players are the same and nearing the wrong side of their prime, this is the perfect example. Both Jahri Evans and Ben Grubbs spent most of 2013 battling injuries and playing hurt for portions of the year. Both likely produced at only about 75% of what they’re truly capable of, which says a lot about their talent because they both still made the Pro Bowl. They are both believe to be 100% heading in to regular season, as the Saints took it easy with them during training camp and let them rest for multiple practices and games. This position should continue to be considered the strength of the offensive line.
Center
Welcome back, Jonathan Goodwin. The center who was part of the Super Bowl Champion team from 2009 has returned after his stint in San Francisco and he won the job over Tim Lelito this preseason. Obviously, Goodwin has regressed a bit due to age since his previous time in black and gold, but considering Brian De La Puente’s struggles at the position last year, he should be an upgrade in the middle of the offensive line. That’s music to everyone’s ears, because pressure up the middle is a the worst kind for Drew Brees, considering he uses stepping up in the pocket to compensate for his shorter stature for the quarterback position.
Aforementioned Tim Lelito will continue to provide solid depth at both center and guard this year, while still being a likely candidate to become a starter on this team in the future.
Defense
Defensive End
Here’s another position on this team that features young players that have shown dominant ability, yet still haven’t come close to reaching their peak potential. On one side, Cam Jordan is entering his fourth season in the NFL and coming off of a 12.5 sack season to lead the team in ’13. He has 25.5 sacks in his three year career, improving his yearly total each season since coming in to the league. On the other side, 2012 3rd round draft pick Akiem Hicks has also steadily improved. He had 4.5 sacks last year, his first as one of the starting defensive ends in Rob Ryan’s 3-4 scheme. Hicks boasts the nickname “Godzilla” thanks to his incredible strength that he’s shown throughout training camp, manhandling nearly everyone he goes up against.
Fighting to see any playing time possible behind the two young stars, Glenn Foster and Tyrunn Walker return for their second season in black and gold after making the team last season with Foster being an undrafted rookie in 2013 and Walker being an undrafted rookie in 2012. Both have shown great promise this preseason, as part of the 2nd unit defensive line that at times dominated other teams’ 2nd team offensive units. Foster recorded 3 sacks in 2013, while Walker recorded 1 of his own. 2014 undrafted rookie Brandon Deaderick made the 53 man roster and provides depth behind the other two guys.
Defensive Tackle
This position is led by veteran Brodrick Bunkley and second year player John Jenkins. Bunkley, entering his third year of a five year contract, took a big pay cut for the 2014 season. He was scheduled to be paid $4.4 million, but cut it down to $1.3. He was a name that was rumored to possibly become a cap casualty, so the pay cut likely helped him remain in New Orleans. Nonetheless, he flashed promise in the 3-4 system in 2013 and played pretty well in the preseason, recording a sack. John Jenkins started camp on the PUP list while recovering from pectoral surgery in the off-season, but made his way on to the field and looks poised to build on a decent rookie season.
Outside Linebacker
Leading the way on the outside is the Saints’ newest player to receive a lengthy contract extension, Junior Galette. Just today, Galette signed a 4 year, $41.5 million dollar deal that could pay up to $48 million if he records 12 sacks in 2014. That seems very doable for the young star, considering that’s exactly how many he had in 2013 and he has shown vast improvement from year to year. On the other side, Parys Haralson returns for his second season in New Orleans, after being traded to here from San Francisco last preseason. He pitched in for 3.5 sacks last year and can likely be counted on for about the same, if not more now that he’s had a full season to get on board with Ryan’s defense.
Sitting behind Galette and Harlson are some of the most exciting young guys that make up this roster. Khairi Fortt and Ronald Powell were 4th and 5th round selections by the Saints in the 2014 draft, respectively. Fortt will start the year on the IR designated to return list, allowing him to return if healthy in 6-8 weeks. Both he and Powell showed very good promise this preseason, displaying very aggressive sideline to sideline play making ability. Along with those two, Kasim Edebali is an undrafted rookie from Boston College who made the team as a long shot. Edebali recorded 2 sacks this preseason and impressed the coaches enough to keep him around on the final roster.
Inside Linebacker
The inside linebacker position returns all guys who were with the Saints in 2013. Both Curtis Lofton and David Hawthorne return as the starters, who’ve both been in New Orleans for multiple seasons. The two of them were the two leading tacklers in 2013, as Lofton led the way with 125 and Hawthorne recorded 91. The two also combined for 5 sacks. Lofton received high praise from linebacker coach Joe Vitt this preseason, saying that he is as important to the defense as Drew Brees is to the offense. Vitt also referred to Lofton as “the heart and soul” of Rob Ryan’s defensive unit.
Ramon Humber and Kyle Knox provide the depth at the position. Humber recorded 29 tackles in his full season with the Saints. Knox joined the team prior to the two playoff games and recorded one tackle. He made this year’s roster after finishing the preseason second on the team with 17 tackles.
Cornerback
We now arrive and possibly the only position that may be considered a hole or question mark on this entire team. Starting corner Keenan Lewis is certainly not part of that assessment, coming off of a stellar first season in New Orleans with 4 interceptions and 9 passes defended. As for the other starting cornerback, well, that’s where the questions begin. That position seemed to have future Champ Bailey’s name all over it, but the future Hall-of-Famer was somewhat surprisingly cut when the Saints trimmed their final roster on Saturday. Bailey injured his foot early in training camp and ended up playing in just the final game of the preseason. When you’re Bailey’s age and don’t win the starting job, it’s tough to find a spot considering he would not be a contributor on special teams. For now, that second starting spot appears to be Patrick Robinson’s. That’s a scary thought for most fans, especially following his weak performance in the team’s 4th preseason game, as Tyrod Taylor repeatedly picked on him. Robinson is returning from a season ending knee injury sustained in the second game of the year at Tampa Bay last season and will be playing in the final year of his rookie contract, so he has a lot of work to do to not only retain his starting job, but to prove to either the Saints or another team that he’s worth a contract after this year.
Third year corner Corey White will see most of his time in the nickel spot on the defense, which is what he’s best suited for. White often struggled in 2013 when forced to play outside, following injuries to both Robinson and Jabari Greer. White is a physical corner that has shown good ball skills and the ability to break on passes, but his weakness is playing with his back to quarterback, hence his struggles on the outside. Hopefully, injuries will not force him out of his nickel position, as he’ll be able to cover slot receivers and play with his face to the quarterback, which is where he excels. The Saints drafted Stanley Jean-Baptiste in the 2nd round of the 2014 draft. Jean-Baptiste boasts excellent physical attributes at 6’3″, 218 pounds, drawing comparisons to Richard Sherman due to his size and length. He’s a former wide receiver who is still very much learning the cornerback position and should still be considered a raw prospect, as he showed with some struggles in the 2014 preseason. Undrafted rookie Brian Dixon rounds out the cornerback position, with his impressive play being the final nail in the coffin for Champ Bailey. Dixon was believed to be a future practice squad candidate, but the staff made the bold move to cut the veteran and stick with rookie, liking what they saw in camp.
Safety
Last, but certainly not least for the major positions is probably the second best position on this team, aside from quarterback. Many experts have already stated that the combination of free agent signing Jairus Byrd and second year player Kenny Vaccaro produce the best safety tandem in the league. Byrd spent most of training camp recovery from minor back surgery in the off-season, but made it back prior to the team’s third preseason game. In the week of practice leading up to that game, Byrd quickly showed why the Saints gave him a 6 year, $56 million dollar contract during free agency, flashing his great ball-hawking ability and intercepting Drew Brees multiple times. Byrd’s 22 interceptions in his first five seasons in the NFL are exactly what Rob Ryan was looking for, stressing the need for more turnovers in 2014. Vaccaro returns from a very impressive rookie season after being drafted in the 1st round of the 2013 draft. He had his rookie season unfortunately cut short in Week 16 of last season, after fracturing his ankle at Carolina. Many believe that he is a future superstar in this league, so the excitement to see both he and Byrd on the field together is almost unbearable.
We’ve discussed a lot of talent at the safety position and we’ve yet to even get to Rafael Bush. Bush is pretty much closer to being considered a starter than a backup at the position, given Ryan’s love of putting three safeties on the field at one time. Bush played very well last season. Well enough, in fact, to draw interest from the Atlanta Falcons as a restricted free agent this past off-season. The Falcons signed him to a 2 year, $4.5 million dollar offer sheet, but the Saints chose to match that offer and keep him around even after the signing of Byrd. New Orleans also added Marcus Ball from the Canadian Football league, who produced very impressive numbers in his two seasons with the Toronto Argonauts. He recorded 142 tackles, 7 sacks, 4 interceptions, 2 returned for touchdowns, and 3 fumble recoveries in his time in Canada. Ball is currently battling a hamstring injury, but has not been placed on IR. As if those four safeties weren’t enough, the Saints went out and drafted Vinnie Sunseri out of Alabama with one of their two fifth round picks this past May. Sunseri missed the second half of his senior year with the Crimson Tide after tearing his ACL, causing him to fall much later in the draft. The risk is already proving to be worth it for New Orleans, though, as Sunseri showed flashes of great play during the preseason, leading the team with 23 tackles, while also adding in an interception. This is arguably the deepest position on the team.
Special Teams
After much confusion, Shayne Graham will be kicking for the Saints in 2014 after all. Both he and Derrick Dimke were cut on Saturday, raising many eyebrows as to what exactly the Saints had planned. It now appears as if their plan was to cut Graham, assuming no one would snag him, while they held on to Ryan Griffin and allowed the other teams to solidify their quarterback position. After waiting a few days, they then cut Griffin and re-signed Graham yesterday. Graham said when interviewed today at practice that he was told by Coach Payton after being cut to stay in town.
Thomas Morstead returns for another year as one of the best punters in the NFL.
That’ll do it, folks. Coming next will my bold predictions piece. Look for that tomorrow (technically later today by the time I submit this one), as I’ll likely work on it during the Green Bay-Seattle game. As always, Who Dat?!
Follow David on Twitter @DCBilliotJr6
