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by Larry Holder Rapid reports RSS Twitter Feeds - Getting to 53 -

Saints roster prediction: QBs
In (2): Drew Brees, Chase Daniel. Out: Sean Canfield. None of this would be a surprise. Brees hasn’t exactly played like the Brees we’ve come to see on a regular basis during training camp and preseason. Plus he’s coming off a season where he tossed a career-high 22 interceptions. A healthier Brees was on display during the Raiders preseason game, and should continue play at a high level. Daniel won the backup last season and has been solid in the preseason. Look for Canfield to be brought back to the practice squad, which is where he spent nearly all of last season.



Saints roster prediction: RBs
In (6): Pierre Thomas, Mark Ingram, Darren Sproles, Joique Bell, Korey Hall, Jed Collins. Out: Chris Taylor, Patrick Cobbs, Kolby Hurt. [Chris Ivory PUP]. Analysis: Thomas, Ingram and Sproles are obvious choices and will make for one of the more dynamic backfields in the NFL. All three have been sharp throughout training camp and all are similar. The others are pretty dicey. Bell makes the roster thanks to his special teams skills and the fact that Ivory’s ailments won’t have him ready for the regular season. It’s rare to keep two FBs, but the Saints will make an exception with Hall and Collins. Hall is a special teams stud, while Collins has been the most effective FB blocking on offense.




Saints roster prediction: WRs
In (6): Marques Colston, Lance Moore, Devery Henderson, Robert Meachem, Adrian Arrington, Courtney Roby. Out: Joe Morgan, John Chiles, Jarred Fayson, Andy Tanner, Montez Billings. Analysis: It’s hard to crack into the top four of the Saints receiving corps, and no one new will do so this year. Colston, Moore, Meachem and Henderson have been staples in the lineup since 2008. Arrington was on the bubble going into camp and Morgan’s explosiveness put Arrington’s spot on extremely thin ice. But Morgan’s knee surgery will end up making the Saints’ decision to cut the undrafted rookie free agent a little easier. The Saints will likely try to bring Morgan back for the practice squad. Roby won’t play receiver as he’ll be brought back strictly for special teams.




Saints roster prediction: TEs
In (3): Jimmy Graham, David Thomas, Tory Humphrey. Out: Tyler Lorenzen, Michael Higgins. Analysis: Graham will be a Pro Bowler this year, mark it down. Drew Brees has already fallen in love with Graham and the last time he fell in love with a TE, it was Antonio Gates in San Diego. Graham and Gates have similar basketball backgrounds and Brees can make Graham a major weapon and vice versa. Thomas returns as one of the more steady players on the Saints roster. He’ll be a solid option as the No. 2 TE. Humphrey will beat out Lorenzen as the third TE, and the latter will continue to be developed on the practice squad. Higgins will be the odd man out.




Saints roster prediction: OL
In (8): Jermon Bushrod, Carl Nicks, Olin Kreutz, Jahri Evans, Zach Strief, Matt Tennant, Jordan Black, Charles Brown. Out: George Foster, Roger Allen, Brian de la Puente, Dan Gay, Cecil Newton, Ryan Taylor. Analysis: The Saints are still searching for some continuity with two new starters in Kreutz at C and Strief at LT. Nicks has missed time during camp with a knee injury, which has somewhat stunted the OL’s growth. The unit should be fine come the regular season. The Saints have to keep two reserve tackles because Brown can’t be trusted yet. So Black will remain on the roster. The battle between Tennant and de la Puente has been interesting. Tennant has been the main backup at guard and center, but de la Puente started at guard against the Raiders in place of Nicks instead of Tennant. In the end, de la Puente will end up back on the practice squad and Tennant on the 53-man roster.




Saints roster prediction: DL
In (9): Will Smith, Alex Brown, Sedrick Ellis, Shaun Rogers, Aubrayo Franklin, Cameron Jordan, Turk McBride, Tom Johnson, Junior Galette. Out: Jeff Charleston, Mitch King, Swanson Miller, Dexter Larimore, [Greg Romeus IR]. Analysis: The Saints will have to keep five DEs because of the uncertainty over if/when Smith has to serve his pending suspension dating back to the 2008 StarCaps situation. Smith has been quite good this camp, for what it’s worth. Jordan may eventually take Brown’s starting job away by the end of this season as Jordan saw plenty of first-team defense snaps this preseason in place of Brown. DT could be a good group, if everyone comes back healthy. Franklin may not be ready for Week 1 after spraining his MCL during camp. Johnson has also missed plenty of time with a calf injury, which could open the door for King or Miller.



Saints roster prediction: LBs
In (6): Jonathan Vilma, Jonathan Casillas, Scott Shanle, Martez Wilson, Jo-Lonn Dunbar, Will Herring. Out: Dwight Roberson, Clint Ingram, Ramon Humber, Ezra Butler, Nate Bussey. Analysis: The LBs the Saints keep won’t be a major surprise. The order in which they sit on the depth chart will be the overriding issue going into the regular season. Vilma’s MLB spot is the only certainty. Casillas or Shanle could end up starting at WLB, while Herring, Wilson or Shanle could win the starting SLB position. Ingram had a chance to compete for the starting SLB, but his inability to stay healthy will end his time in New Orleans for the second consecutive season. Bussey could end up on the practice squad.





Saints roster prediction: DBs
In (10): Jabari Greer, Tracy Porter, Malcolm Jenkins, Roman Harper, Patrick Robinson, Leigh Torrence, Jonathon Amaya, Chris Reis, Johnny Patrick, Pierson Prioleau. Out: Isa Abdul-Quddus, Quincy Butler, Terrail Lambert, Trumaine McBride, DeAndre McDaniel, Paul Oliver. Analysis: Greer, Porter and Robinson have been playing a decent bit together during nickel situations. It should tell you how much defensive coordinator Gregg Williams wants to have his three best CBs in the game at once as Porter has moved to the nickel slot at times. Robinson has been much improved this camp from his rookie season. Torrence has been pretty solid during this year’s camp to remain on the roster. Patrick has been injured throughout much of camp and may end up on IR, which could open up a spot for McBride. Jenkins and Harper are no brainers at safety. The rest of the group will consist of special teams guys like Amaya, Reis and Prioleau.




Saints roster prediction: Special Teams
In (3): Garrett Hartley, Thomas Morstead, Justin Drescher. Out: Kyle Nelson. Analysis: There’s been no competition for Hartley and Morstead during training camp, and rightfully so. Drescher is by far the youngest long snapper during the Sean Payton era with veterans Kevin Houser and Jason Kyle previously manning the spot. It’s been Drescher’s job to lose and he’s done nothing to lose the spot to Nelson.


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Larry Holder
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