2012 New Orleans Saints

Note: Retainer or Acquisition in Bold; Needs indicated in Italics

WR Marques Colston, Adrian Arrington, Joe Morgan
TE Jimmy Graham, David Thomas
LT Jermon Bushrod, Marcel Jones
LG Ben Grubbs, Eric Olsen
C Brian De La Puente, Matt Tennant
RG Jahri Evans, Andrew Tiller
RT Zach Strief, Charles Brown
WR Lance Moore, Devery Henderson, Nick Toon
QB Drew Brees, Chase Daniel
FB Jed Collins, Korey Hall
RB Mark Ingram, Pierre Thomas, Darren Sproles, Chris Ivory

RDE Will Smith, Turk McBride, Greg Romeus
RDT Sedrick Ellis, Mitch King
LDT Brodrick Bunkley, Tom Johnson, Akiem Hicks
LDE Cam Jordan, Junior Galette
SLB Scott Shanle, Martez Wilson, Jonathan Casillas
MLB Curtis Lofton, Jon Vilma, Ramon Humber
WLB David Hawthorne, Chris Chamberlain, Will Herring
LCB Jabari Greer
SS Roman Harper; Jonathon Amaya, Corey White
FS Malcolm Jenkins; Isa Abdul-Quddus
RCB Patrick Robinson, Johnny Patrick

P Thomas Morstead
K John Kasay, Garrett Hartley
LS Justin Drescher

If these players are our projected roster after training camp, we stand at a count 51, 52 if we keep two kickers which is not likely...

We are very thin at Cornerback, Offensive Line...

Could use more depth at Tight End, Defensive Tackle, Safety...

Two fullbacks?

LB depth has turned around quickly

Where does Martez Wilson make his check?

Is Hartley through as our Kicker?[/QUOTE]

I've got to say that the roster is starting to look good with the talent and depth at almost all positions - they still need to add players to the CB depth and probably one more TE, maybe Higgins?

Two FBs would otherwise be a luxury that should be avoided, but Hall is one of the best special team contributors the Saints have, and so I doubt they are eager to get rid of him. Also, the Saints are one of those teams who have a fairly large portion of running plays that require the effective use of a FB, so it would stand to reason that they would carry a backup FB in case anything happened to Collins, just like they carry 4 RBs.

Also, I think they could stand to lose one of the LBs and Shanle with a $2.95M cap hit would be a likely candidate, because even though he might be a very serviceable backup (even a starter in a pinch), he is on the older side, with a relatively high cap hit and only one more year on his contract.

I think the DT and DE depth are both adequate as they are, barring any suspensions and assuming that Romeus will be healthy enough to start the season and contribute. If the situation requires it, they could always temporarily move Jordan to the interior and Wilson down to the line of scrimmage to be an edge rusher during a game. Although Hicks did some edge rushing himself up in Canada, I seriously doubt that they should place him there in the NFL, because that is where his deficiencies are the most apparent based on the video I've seen - even against the Canadian collegiate opposition.

They definitely shouldn't keep both kickers and cutting one of them along with Shanle would open up room for 3 more players for the final roster - maybe a TE and 2 CBs.

Strong work, JP.
I agree that the Saints are thin at O-line and CB. I read that the Saints plan to keep rookie Corey White at CB so maybe he's not as slow as the numbers suggest.

I hope that you're wrong about McBride beating out Romeus. The D-line is very intriguing and from what little I have seen of guys like Romeus, King, and Johnson I have nothing to go on but hope.
The guy I'm really wanting to do well is King. I saw him chase a few guys down in last years pre-season so he seems to have that "motor" that coaches love.

What's up with Hartley? I suppose that the Saints are bringing Kasay back to help coach the kid but if they keep Kasay past the first cuts I will immediately think that Hartley is not going to work out.

I think that the Saints shouldn't do the two FB thing this year. If TE Humphries is still available, the Saints need to call him and bring him in.

This is it for Arrington. He has the best chance to make an impact now that Meachem is gone.

Romeus, prior to collegiate injury had first round grades; but he's got to beat out the others to move up the chart...

Really would like to have drafted Norman; allowing time to acclimate, he could have been a real addition to the DB platoon...

If Hicks can adjust to the talent level, Ellis departure after this season won't hurt so bad...

We got two more OL that should really alleviate the depth issue if they can't contribute along with the FA signings...

It's wait and see with White; I thing he's brought in to be a Safety...

Nervous about CB right now...

Spagnoulo has said White was brought in to be a nickle corner, said he has the size and length that they like and Flajole wanted him. Also says he presses well,

Fixed :)

And didn't he say in that recent interview that he played CB for Samford?

I am almost 100% certain he IS a CB. They were just saying he would probably be a safety because of his movement deficiencies as a cb.

I think some of the confusion also stems from the fact that he was listed as a safety in the draft - I'm not sure who makes those calls.

He played CB for 3 years at Samford, heard it from a draft profile I think