A slightly different structure to this week’s analysis and stock watch for the Saints offense as we bring back “The BoiLa’s take” on each position group – which are essentially short summaries on how we see the roster battle shaping up at each position following today’s initial 75-man cuts. Basically, if you (understandably) haven’t got time to read this full 3500 word write-up, then feel free to scroll through and look for the highlighted “BoiLa’s take” sections to get a succinct synopsis of how we see the roster shaping up on offense.

First up as usual, it’s the weekly stock watch table which depicts the players on offense whose stock has risen in our eyes following their performances against Pittsburgh, and likewise those whose stock has fallen:

For the full breakdown from Friday though, and also our take on the way the Saints offensive roster is shaping up as we gear towards final cuts, then do read on.

Quarterbacks

Friday’s game against Pittsburgh provided us a definitive answer to one QB question, while simultaneously starting speculation regarding another. The question that’s been answered is “who’s going to be Drew Brees‘ back-up in 2016?” And the answer is Luke McCown. The veteran didn’t feature much on Friday, playing just two second quarter series, but he looked comfortable and assured – and was more importantly error-free.

All told it was fairly standard stuff from McCown, but the reason for our surety on him being Brees‘ backup for another year is more down to what Garrett Grayson has (or more has not) been able to produce. On Friday, Grayson was given the whole second half to prove himself, playing 38 snaps and throwing 23 times. Regrettably, and not for the first time, Grayson couldn’t quite seize the opportunity. Initially, things were looking up for #18. On his second series in the game he marched the Saints 63 yards downfield, culminating in a 31-yard TD throw to Tommylee Lewis off a playaction where Grayson rolled out to his right and impressively launched the ball on the run to find Lewis on the right sideline.

Unfortunately, things then unraveled abruptly in a disastrous final quarter. Grayson was picked off twice by linebackers – the first a poor throw behind Marcus Murphy that went straight into the hands of Steven Johnson – the second a failure to notice linebacker Tyler Matakevich sitting in a middle zone who jumped the route of WR Jake Lampman and easily intercepted Grayson’s pass. All told, Grayson could have had more turnovers. He underthrew a ball to RJ Harris late on that was lucky to land safe after Al-Hajj Shabazz tipped it high in the air, and was also picked just out of bounds when he should have just launched the ball out of play after a play broke down in the redzone and he had rolled well outside the pocket.

The worrying thing about Grayson is his performances seem to have noticeably declined week-on-week this preseason. Against New England he bounced back well after an early mistake, against Houston his numbers weren’t great but then he had little help from his own receivers, against Pittsburgh, the mistakes were all his own making. Going back to the start of this article, the new question that’s now reared its head in the Saints QB debate is the following, “has Garrett Grayson shown enough to even warrant a roster spot this year?” Coach Payton is no stranger to entering the season with just two QBs on his 53, and Grayson’s less than stellar displays do at least make that possibly worth entertaining. We think it might be slightly premature to cut ties, but no doubt Grayson himself will be looking for an assured performance against Baltimore on Thursday to cement his place in the Saints 53.

A quick word on Drew Brees, who put together a solid body of work on Friday during what we now know may not be his last action of preseason. #9 only played the first three series, but still managed to put up 78 yards and a score. What caught our eye was the touch on Brees’ passes, particularly when he floated three almost identical (and perfect) rainbows over the Steelers linebackers but underneath their safeties for Willie Snead (x2) and Coby Fleener (which was wiped for a holding penalty). With so much doubt and uncertainty surrounding the Saints O-Line though (which we’ll get onto next), it was at least partially encouraging to see Brees taking it in his stride on Friday night – even if it was just a short cameo.

The BoiLa’s Take – We’ll start off with the easy one – Drew Brees is the starter. What has subsequently become clear during preseason is that Luke McCown has again won the backup spot. This leaves only one question for us at QB going into final cuts – whether Garrett Grayson actually makes the 53? As previously mentioned, Payton does have previous when it comes to carrying just two QBs, and over seven preseason games in the Black and Gold, Grayson hasn’t really put together an awe-inspiring resume. However, Grayson’s third round status (and a lack of truly deserving talent at other positions), likely save Grayson’s spot on the roster – with the Saints crossing their fingers and hoping another year on the practice field aids #18’s development this time round.

Offensive Line:

A lot of column inches have been devoted to the Saints offensive line this week following another disjointed preseason performance. For what it’s worth, what we saw on tape was marginally better than the previous week in Houston, but we’ll get into individual performances shortly. First up, here’s the different O-Line groupings used in the Dome on Friday:

Drives 1-2: Armstead (LT) – Lelito/Kelemete (LG)* – Unger (C) – Peat (RG) – Strief (RT)

(*Lelito and Kelemete alternated a series each at LG).

Drives 3-5: Hills (LT) – Lelito/Kelemete (LG)* – Unger (C) – Peat (RG) – Strief (RT)

(*Lelito and Kelemete alternated a series each at LG).

Drives 6-7: Hills (LT) – Lelito (LG) – Allen (C) – Kelemete (RG) – Cheek (RT)

Drive 8: Cheek (LT) – Fullington (LG) – Allen (C) – Turner (RG) – Thompson (RT)

Drive 9: Fullington (LT) – Eulls (LG) – Allen (C) – Turner (RG) – Thompson (RT)

Drives 10-12: Fullington (LT) – Eulls (LG) – Henry (C) – Lemon (RG) – Thompson (RT)

What is immediately obvious from the above is that the Saints used by far the highest amount of different personnel groupings so far this preseason, and also that a number of players switched spots along the line during the game. Both of these facts add credence to the narrative that we have a Saints offensive line that is very much in a state of flux.

Individually, if we start with the “1s”, the most commanding performance of the day came from Max Unger, who played the entire first half (36 snaps) at center. We had a number of plus points for Unger marked down on the grading sheet – most were for blocks at the point of attack on running plays, but he also showed off his athleticism getting downfield to pick-up safety Robert Golden and help Travaris Cadet to extra yardage on a 17-yard screen. With so much uncertainty surrounding who’ll be flanking Unger on either side, it was at least comforting to see #60 put in a faultless performance.

Speaking of those lining up alongside Unger, Payton gave three guards a chance to line up with the starters during the first half on Friday. Tim Lelito and Senio Kelemete rotated at LG, while Andrus Peat took the snaps at RG. Despite a late hurry Peat gave up on a well-drawn up Steelers stunt, the much-maligned tackle-turned-guard actually put in what we graded as his most complete preseason performance in 2016. Lelito was better than last week, having a couple of good “wins” up front in the run game – but he was again lackluster in pass protection, with Stephon Tuitt and Javon Hargrave both beating #68 for hurries. Kelemete was his usual serviceable self and didn’t make any glaring errors, but he also struggled to get much push at all in the run game and generally seems over-matched by bigger defensive linemen. Kelemete is no doubt a useful and versatile depth option who deserves a place on the 53, but he appears to lack the pure strength needed to be a first choice starting guard in the NFL. The problem for the Saints at the moment is that no guards have consistently exuded “starting NFL quality” this preseason.

Behind Peat, Lelito and Kelemete on the interior, the next two up are John Fullington and Landon Turner – but neither have been able to fully capitalize on the uncertainty above them on the depth chart. After an impressive display against Houston, Fullington was just about average this time, putting in a serviceable performance (false start penalty aside). Fullington did show off his versatility thought, switching out to play left tackle for the Saints final three drives. Right guard Landon Turner played just two series on Friday, giving up two hurries in the process as he was beaten by both Hargrave and Walton. It’s a shame for Turner, who put in a promising performance against New England in Week 1, but has been underwhelming in his two subsequent outings. Guards Kaleb Eulls and Cyril Lemon each earned a handful of snaps in garbage time on Friday after sitting out last week, but having shown little throughout preseason, both were victims of today’s cuts as the Saints reduced their roster to 75.

At center, both Jack Allen (29 snaps) and Marcus Henry (9 snaps) got an opportunities against Pittsburgh. Allen had some moments in the run game, but he was left flat-footed when Hargrave thrust him aside on his way to racking up the Steelers solitary sack of the game. Henry’s body of work was too small to make any real conclusions, which we again think is a shame after being quietly impressed with what he showed in more extensive action against New England. At this juncture, with neither Allen or Henry having been able stamp their authority during game time, it seems the Saints will likely stick with using Kelemete and/or Lelito as backup center options on the 53. Allen and Henry are certainly both potential practice squad options, though.

On the outside, Zach Strief was solid during his 36 snaps and is a lock to be the starting RT come the regular season. At the other end of the line, Terron Armstead is also a lock to start at LT in Week 1, but some nagging injury concerns do have us somewhat perturbed. After an inauspicious 13-snaps against Pittsburgh which included a hurry given up and a holding flag, Armstead left the game with an unspecified injury and did not return. #72 has since said in an interview he’ll “definitely” be ready for Week 1 – but then presumably he was “definitely” ready to suit up on Friday or the Saints wouldn’t have risked him in a meaningless preseason game. It’s certainly one worth keeping an eye on, as the Saints desperately need a fully fit Armstead protecting Brees’ blindside for the duration of 2016.



Tony Hills was the man who came in to replace Armstead, but the veteran failed to impress despite his extended outing. James Harrison especially gave Hills problems, beating him twice for hurries and also a third time where Hills was forced to commit a blatant hold. Hills’ performances this preseason have not filled us with confidence, and it appears Payton & Co feel equally as uneasy at the prospect of having him as back-up swing tackle this season, signing former Jaguars and Raiders tackle Khalif Barnes yesterday to add to the competition at that spot. Others vying for a place on the roster at tackle are Joseph Cheek and Tyrus Thompson, but neither did anything against Pittsburgh to substantially further their cause – and both have generally looked sub-par through three weeks of preseason. The only other tackle on the books is rookie Avery Young, who remains on the reserve NFI list with no suggested return date.

Issues at guard may well have dominated the debate this week, but the Saints depth (or lack thereof) at tackle is also extremely worrying – even more so when taking into account Armstead’s aforementioned health concerns.

The BoiLa’s Take – Strief (RT), Armstead (LT) and Unger (C) are the only players we can confidently predict will make the 53 as definite starters. The guard spots are still somewhat up for grabs. You have to imagine Peat will fill one of them as a starter in Week 1, while Lelito and Kelemete are still the front runners for the other (unless help is brought in from elsewhere – which is still possible). Even with the above six offensive linemen making the 53 though, there are still (at least) two spots up for grabs (Saints carried 8 O-Linemen throughout last season). Newly acquired Khalif Barnes could well be earmarked for one of those spots, which leaves one last depth spot for Hills (T), Allen (C), Cheek (T), Turner (G), Henry (C) and Fullington (G/T) to fight over. If we had to choose one out of those five right now, we’d go for Fullington – who has the added value of being able to play both guard and tackle. All six will be looking for big performances against Baltimore though, while Saints scouts may well be keeping a close eye on the other 15 games on Thursday in a bid to earmark any alternative talent that may potentially become available.



Tight ends:

A serious-looking left leg injury suffered by Michael Hoomanawanui was the biggest news at the tight end position from Friday’s game. The former Patriot had his left leg rolled up on whilst run blocking, eventually being taken to the locker room on a cart. It didn’t look good for Hoomanawanui, who served primarily as a run blocking TE for the Saints last season after being picked up from the Patriots. If the injury is as bad as first feared and “Hooman” is ruled out for a prolonged period, a roster spot may well have just opened up for someone at tight end.



Of the challengers for that “TE3” spot, we now know RaShaun Allen is unsurprisingly out of the running. After Allen’s particularly rough outing in Houston, he didn’t even make it onto the field against Pittsburgh on Friday and has now been cut. Allen’s absence on Friday meant the previously unseen Garrett Griffin got chance to take the field after recovering from a hamstring injury suffered earlier in camp. And, although it was only 22 snaps against the Steelers back-ups, we liked what we saw from Griffin in terms of being a like-for-like run-blocking replacement for Hoomanawanui. #45 made a number of good blocks in the running game, the best of which came when he pulled across the line to lead block for Cadet, making the key pick-up on a 3rd & 3 conversion. Griffin also hauled in a 14-yard grab on an out-route to show he can also contribute in the passing game.

One player that we still think is ahead of Griffin in the TE pecking order though is Chris Manhertz. We’ve liked what Manhertz has shown through all three games this preseason, flashing adequate blocking ability along with above average hands and an ability to gain extra yards after the catch. The latter was especially evident on Friday when he turned a 3-yard dump off from Grayson into a 12-yard gain after making two Steelers miss. The Saints picked up Manhertz as a developmental project in 2015, and he seems to have benefited from spending all of last season on the practice squad. As relatively lazy comparisons go, Manhertz offers a similar skill set to incumbent TE2 Josh Hill, and it’s no stretch to say he’s outplayed Hill this preseason, albeit going up against lesser opposition.

Hill had another quiet game in the Dome on Friday, making no blocks of note in the run game and failing to corral his only target under tight coverage from William Gay. With the Saints matching Josh Hill’s RFA tender by the Bears this summer, his contract now includes $3.25 million of guaranteed money – so it’s unlikely his roster spot is in any danger. However, there’s no doubting we’d like to see a bit more production from Hill going forwards.



Coby Fleener, who undoubtedly sits atop of the New Orleans depth chart at tight end, had a slow day numbers-wise (1 catch, 4 yards), but he was actually pretty active during his 21 snaps. Fleener made a nice catch over the middle which would have been good for 26-yards but for a holding call on Armstead, and also could have had another sizeable gain if it wasn’t for a clothesline/facemask by Steelers safety Sean Davis which prevented him from holding on.

The BoiLa’s Take – The current picture at tight end isn’t quite as clear as it seemed going into the first week of preseason. Fleener is the No.1 – we know that much. Hill has been almost invisible through three weeks, but his contract situation, familiarity with the scheme and reliability still make him a very strong favorite for the 53. Ex-basketball player Manhertz has certainly shown improvement as an all-round TE in comparison to 2015, and was already making strong push for the final roster before Hoomanawanui’s injury. If that injury is indeed serious, Manhertz has a very good chance of making the Saints final roster. Griffin flashed ability as a strong run blocker this week though, and depending on how the Saints envisage the TE3 role playing out, could also be in with an outside shout if he puts in another strong performance on Thursday.



Running Backs

CJ Spiller put in his best performance of the preseason on Friday, cementing his position as the Saints change-of-pace/third down option behind Mark Ingram. Spiller was running with purpose, fighting for every yard while showing a quick first step. #28 was also heavily involved in Payton’s gameplan, which was a welcome sight following a stop-start 2015 campaign which saw Spiller used fleetingly at best. The picture behind Ingram and Spiller is looking decidedly more muddled though, with Tim Hightower, Travaris Cadet, Daniel Lasco and Marcus Murphy all vying for the remaining 2 or 3 places.

Hightower was the pick of the bunch for us on Friday, running with power in the second half for a team leading 27-yards. Travaris Cadet would have had that accolade but for a momentary lapse which saw him fumble the ball just before half-time after Lawrence Timmons punched it loose. Thankfully, the Steelers couldn’t quite recover it in-bounds, but it was still a glaring blot on an otherwise impressive copy book, with Cadet racking up 66 all purpose yards on 8 touches in just 14 snaps.

Daniel Lasco’s evening was cut short soon after entering the game in the third quarter follwing an ugly helmet-to-helmet hit from Vince Williams. Thankfully Lasco was eventually able to get back to his feet and make it off the field under his own power, but it was a worrying moment. Fingers crossed there are no longer-lasting concussion issues from the hit, as Lasco has impressed us both on offense and special teams throughout preseason. Marcus Murphy was the last of the running backs to take the field on offense, featuring in the Saints final three drives and carrying the ball only once. His demotion down the pecking order is likely a result of his fumbling issues. With Spiller, Cadet and Tommylee Lewis now favored to Murphy on return duties, it looks an uphill battle for one of last year’s preseason stand outs to make the roster this time round.

At fullback we saw the return of Austin Johnson, who entered the game as the second string fullback after John Kuhn played the first half. This meant there was no playing time for Sione Houma on Friday, with Houma subsequently cut this afternoon as the Saints trimmed their roster down to 75.

The BoiLa’s Take – As mentioned, Ingram and Spiller are guaranteed to make the final roster. Beyond that – it’s hard to predict right now, and may all come down to who does what against the Ravens on Thursday. At the moment, we’d like the Saints to keep 5 HBs, with Hightower, Lasco and Cadet all making the roster. If it is only 4, then there’s going to have to be a tough cut in there. If that is the case, we think Lasco has done enough in all phases to make the 53, while Cadet offers a more versatile skill set than Hightower – which makes the elder statesman the odd one out for us in the 4 HB scenario. Murphy appears to be on the outside looking in at this point, and is a long shot to make the final roster. At fullback, Kuhn looks the preferred starter, with Johnson’s only chance of making the roster appearing to be if the Saints choose to keep two fullbacks – which isn’t unprecedented, but seems unlikely.

Wide Receivers:

The star of the show at wide receiver against the Steelers was Willie Snead, who caught all four of his targets for 58-yards and a touchdown. The 17-yard TD catch summed up Snead’s “right place, right time” nature, as he managed to reel in the ball at the second attempt whilst falling to the ground at the back of the endzone after Mike Mitchell had seemingly broken up the play. That touchdown came on a vertical route with Snead lined up in the slot – a spot where #83 is seeing increased opportunities in the wake of Marques Colston’s departure. Snead’s position on the roster may have been the feature of much debate and discussion during the 2015 preseason, but no such questions surround his inclusion in 2016; Snead is a lock to make the final roster. Also what we’d call “dead certs” at WR, Brandin Cooks and Michael Thomas had quieter nights in the Dome on Friday. Both did catch their only targets of the day, but the Saints in general struggled to get the ball to outside receivers as QBs lacked time in the pocket to let routes fully develop due to the porous play of the O-Line.

Behind Snead, Cooks and Thomas, the stand-out was once again Tommylee Lewis. #87 found the endzone for the first time in New Orleans on a 31-yard pass where he showed great awareness in adjusting back towards the ball and hauling it in. Through three preseason games, Lewis’ numbers (7 catches, 104 yards, 1 TD) are almost identical to Snead’s last year (8 catches, 117 yards, 0 TD), and we all know that was enough for Snead to make the roster. It looks like Lewis is set to follow suit.

With four spots at WR provisionally spoken for, and RJ Harris, Jared Dangerfield and Reggie Bell all casualties of the Saints cut down to 75, it leaves Brandon Coleman, Jordan Williams-Lambert and Jake Lampman fighting for one spot (presuming the Saints carry 5 WRs – which isn’t a given). On Friday’s evidence though, it’s advantage Coleman, whose two catches in traffic were a good bounceback from his disappointing display the previous week in Houston. In comparison, Williams-Lambert (16 snaps) and Lampman (12 snaps) were largely anonymous during their time on the field against the Steelers – but will no doubt be looking to show more against Baltimore on Thursday night to further their own ambitions.



The BoiLa’s Take – Cooks, Snead and Thomas have the top three spots on the depth chart sewn up. Close behind is Lewis, who is undoubtedly this year’s “UDFA gem”. We can’t see a way those four don’t make the final roster – and it wouldn’t come as a massive surprise to us if they are the only Saints wideouts that make the final 53. Spiller, Cadet, Fleener and Hill have all spent a number of snaps split out at as WRs this pre-season, and the Saints have rarely had more than 3 WRs on the field at any one time. Currently, that 5th WR spot seems more of a luxury than a necessity, with no-one truly showing enough to make the Saints want to utilize it. If they do decide to keep 5 though, we think Coleman (despite his struggles) is still in pole position to fill that spot – although Williams-Lambert and Lampman will no doubt be leaving it all on the field on Thursday night in an attempt to stake their claims.



That wraps up our breakdown of the offense, but do check back on The BoiLa tomorrow (Wednesday) evening as our post-Pittsburgh/75-man cuts analysis on the defense will be going live then.

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