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New Orleans Saints offensive linemen Marcel Jones and Senio Kelemete ended last season as practice squad teammates and became good friends.

By the end of this month, if everything goes as expected, only one of them will be on the Saints' roster.

The competition between Jones and Kelemete is one of a handful of down-the-roster battles that will play out over the next two preseason games.

In this case, however, there's virtually no way that both players can earn a spot. One will be on the 53-man roster, earning nearly $500,000 annually. The other will likely be on the newly expanded 10-man practice squad, where the pay is roughly one-fourth of that.

"To be honest, I'm not looking that far ahead," Jones said after practice on Tuesday at the Saints' facility in Metairie. "If I make it or he makes it, I'm going to be happy for him and I know for a fact he'll be happy for me. We're just going out there and playing as well as we both can and leaving the tough decisions to the coaches."


Read more: Saints' Marcel Jones aiming for spot on 53-man roster, but letting coaches worry about 'tough decisions' | NOLA.com

Cruize

Jones can play G and T. He will make the squad.

jeanpierre

Can he play them well? And can he stay healthy?

Danno

IIRC he graded out pretty good in one game, and not so hot in the other. Then again I may be thinking of Kelemente.

Jones was the starter at LG in the 1st game and I think he looked very good.

Utah_Saint

Against the Rams they PFF graded them;

Jones RG 33 snaps -1.4 grade
Kelemete LG 40 snaps 2.3 grade

Against the Titans;

Jones RG 49 snaps -1.9 grade
Kelemete LG 55 snaps -6.8 grade (worst individual grade of the game on either team by a long shot)