JOESAM2002

Sheldon Mickles: Speculation on final roster starts


By SHELDON MICKLES
smickles@theadvocate.com
Advocate sportswriter

If you're one of the thousands of frantic fans still trying to get over that exhibition the New Orleans Saints put on Monday night against the Philadelphia Eagles, take heart.
The best thing to come out of the Saints' exhibition opener was just that, it was an exhibition game that doesn't count in the standings and will long be forgotten by the time the regular season begins on Sept. 7.

And it was no different than the Saints' 13-10 loss to the expansion Houston Texans in their first exhibition game last year. It wasn't pretty, which makes one wonder how long fans who are paying premium prices are going to be fleeced for games that don't count in the standings.

The Saints opened the game without six regulars, three on each side of the ball. Held out were wide receiver Joe Horn, running back Deuce McAllister, guard LeCharles Bentley, defensive end Darren Howard, middle linebacker Darrin Smith and cornerback Dale Carter -- which no doubt contributed to the ragged play in the 27-17 setback to the Eagles.

If nothing else, the 53-man regular-season roster began to take shape with the first live work against another team. Of course, some would argue that there aren't 53 players on the roster after more than two weeks of training camp and Monday night's debacle.

But here's a guess -- and it's strictly a guess -- as to what the roster might look like after three more exhibition games and two mandatory cutdowns. The final cuts must be made by Aug. 31:

WIDE RECEIVER (5): Joe Horn, Donté Stallworth, Jerome Pathon, Michael Lewis, Derrick Lewis.

This group is pretty much set unless someone gets hurt. There is also a possibility that the coaching staff could keep a sixth wideout, which would be either Kareem Kelly or Talman Gardner. If they go that route, Kelly may have a slight edge because of Gardner's inconsistency in camp.

TIGHT END (3): Ernie Conwell, David Sloan, Boo Williams.

A big question here is Sloan, who's missed a week and a half of practice after undergoing shoulder surgery. He struggled through last season with knee and toe injuries and his health may become a real concern. If Sloan isn't able to go, 10-year veteran Walter Rasby should be the guy.

OFFENSIVE LINE (10): Wayne Gandy, Kendyl Jacox, Jerry Fontenot, LeCharles Bentley, Spencer Folau, Victor Riley, Montrae Holland, Jon Stinchcomb, Scott Sanderson, P.J. Alexander.

If the Saints keep an extra wide receiver on the final roster, this might be the area that can afford to go one player light. Alexander may be the odd man out, but would be a practice squad candidate again.

RUNNING BACK (5): Deuce McAllister, Terrelle Smith, Curtis Keaton, James Fenderson, Fred McAfee.

This is where things really get complicated. The backup job to McAllister is wide open because Keaton didn't really distinguish himself in playing nearly the entire game against the Eagles. The real backup may not be here yet.

QUARTERBACK (3): Aaron Brooks, Todd Bouman, Tory Woodbury.

Brooks and Bouman are entrenched as the top two, but Woodbury may get the nod over J.T. O'Sullivan as the third-stringer because he can play wide receiver and special teams.

DEFENSIVE LINE (7): Charles Grant, Johnathan Sullivan, Martin Chase, Darren Howard, Grady Jackson, Willie Whitehead, Kenny Smith.

This is going to be a difficult decision for the coaching staff. They have more than enough depth and experience, especially at tackle, and trying to keep everyone is impossible.

Henry Ford is a candidate to go because he's been out for more than a week with an ankle injury.

LINEBACKER (7): Sedrick Hodge, Darrin Smith, Derrick Rodgers, Orlando Ruff, James Allen, Cie Grant, Roger Knight.

There should be no big surprises here even though the middle linebacker spot has been battered by injuries to Smith and Grant. Rodgers and Allen are waging a battle to see who the starter is on the weak side.

DEFENSIVE BACK (10): Dale Carter, Fred Thomas, Mel Mitchell, Tebucky Jones, Ashley Ambrose, Keyuo Craver, Fakhir Brown, Jay Bellamy, Michael Hawthorne, Steve Gleason.

This area may be one player too many, but you can never have enough defensive backs, especially when you go against the mobile quarterbacks on the Saints' schedule this season.

SPECIALIST (3): John Carney, Mitch Berger, Kevin Houser (deep snapper).

There's no questions here although undrafted free agent Mark Mariscal has shown a strong leg while competing with Berger for the punting job.