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Moving past the NFL Draft, the next major roster shifts for the New Orleans Saints won’t occur until the massive cutdown day on Sept. 1 at the end of training camp.
Some minor tweaks will pop up here and there, like after next weekend’s rookie minicamp. But the vast majority of the offseason roster is in place for the Saints to begin molding the 2018 squad.



The Saints aggressively navigated through free agency and the draft to improve the already talent-laden roster. This means a few difficult decisions could come not only for rookies, but also for some veteran players.
Let’s take a glimpse at seven Saints players in possible jeopardy of making the roster once Week 1 arrives in early September:

Brandon Coleman
The 6-foot-6, 220-pound wide receiver has been around the Saints program since 2014. And still, it seems like it’s year to year with Coleman as far as landing on the roster.
Coleman added a significant catch or two in several games in 2018 with 23 receptions for 364 yards and three touchdowns. The wheels fell off dramatically in Week 15, though, with two lost fumbles against the Jets.
New Orleans opted not to issue a restricted free agent tender to Coleman. The Saints eventually retained Coleman on a one-year deal worth a maximum of $1 million. This deal doesn’t guarantee Coleman’s spot on the roster.
The Saints added Bears restricted free agent Cameron Meredith essentially as Willie Snead’s replacement for actual guaranteed money. Then the team brought on Central Florida’s Tre’Quan Smith with its third-round pick a week ago.
The Saints know Coleman’s game backward and forward at this rate. Will it be enough for him to stick with the team for one more year?

Coby Fleener
He’s been atop the “players in jeopardy” list for months. Long before free agency and long before the draft. The veteran tight end certainly hasn’t lived up to expectations, but nearly every Saints fan probably understands that by now.
The Saints passed on drafting a tight end a week ago. A lack of a second-round pick hindered the team’s opportunity to pluck one of the top prospects. New Orleans did add Deon Yelder in undrafted free agency.
But Fleener’s future with the Saints squarely landed on the bubble when the team brought back Benjamin Watson after a two-year stint in Baltimore. Watson returns as the probable starter with veterans Josh Hill and Michael Hoomanawanui still on the roster.
All of this could leave Fleener searching for another team sooner than later.

Hau'oli Kikaha
The 2015 second-round pick always looked like a gamble given his injury history during college. That history followed Kikaha into the NFL, and he could be running out of time in New Orleans.
Kikaha is entering the final year of his contract after three years of injury-marred seasons. He added four sacks in 2017 before landing on injured reserve with an ankle injury. He missed the entire 2016 campaign with a torn ACL, his third of his college and NFL career (two on one knee).
New Orleans never wasted time picking up edge rush help the last two years. Alex Okafor, Trey Hendrickson, Al-Quadin Muhammad and George Johnson hopped on the roster. All four are back for 2018 … and the Saints only traded 13 spots in this year’s first round, including a 2019 first-round pick, to take Marcus Davenport at No. 13 overall.

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SmashMouth

Can't really disagree with this list...

Rugby Saint II

Cruize

PJ will be a Saint. Not even close. Fleener will make the 53.

K Major

Williams is also entering the final year of his contract. He surrendered the most penalty yards on the team last season being susceptible to deep pass interference calls.

Nothing will be guaranteed for Williams this offseason.

TLL could also be in trouble.

jeanpierre

I'm curious if the Saints will continue to be patient with Armstead if he's unavailable for another four-plus games and continues to tap-out other games...

Compared to Breaux, and for what Armstead receives in compensation, SP sure isn't applying the same standards to Armstead and his unavailability...

voodooido

PJ Williams, Fleener and Lasco pretty much have already been cut. Can’t see them keeping Lewis over Coleman. Coleman comes cheap and has much more experience. HK can’t stay healthy so if he misses any time in the offseason he too will be cut.

jeanpierre

Only way P.J. Williams gets cut is if he's out-played by some of the rookies...

Lattimore, Crawley, Robinson, Williams, and an outstanding special teamer CB (i.e. Maulet) are the likely five CBs unless we bring back Breaux...

Seer1

I'll take Job Hunt for $500 Alex...

homerj07

All look like probable drops to me...