Across the wire: Examining which potential cut candidates could be good fits for the Saints (2024)

The New Orleans Saints have a “pretty good grasp” on what their 53-man roster will be ahead of Tuesday’s cut-down deadline, coach Dennis Allen said.

But even when cuts are made, the work won’t be done.

There’s the waiver wire to monitor, after all.

“When you go through training camp, you’re not only evaluating your own roster and the 90 guys that you have here in training camp, we’re evaluating the 90 guys that are on everybody else’s roster, too,” Allen said. “Nobody know who is going to be available ... so I think you’re always outside the building to see if there are other options that we feel like can help us.”

With the preseason ending this weekend, here are some under–the–radar roster battles – for other teams – worth paying attention to around the league, just in case the Saints shore up their depth.

The Denver Broncos’ running backs

Player of note: Samaje Perine

The Saints-to-the-Broncos pipeline has been busy over the past year, so how about reversing that course of action for a change? The Broncos’ running backs are intriguing, and reports indicate that the final spot on that position could come down to Samaje Perine and Jaleel McLaughlin. Perine, in particular, could give the Saints a reliable third option at running back if Kendre Miller can’t stay healthy. And spoiler: Miller isn’t healthy at the moment. Perine, entering his eighth season, had 693 yards from scrimmage last year, including a career high 455 receiving yards.

Allen has said he likes the Saints’ depth at running back — Jordan Mims has had a good camp — but it wouldn’t be a shock to see the team search for help elsewhere.

The Philadelphia Eagles’ safeties

Player of note: James Bradberry

The Saints have already explored adding a safety in training camp as they had Justin Simmons in for a visit. That didn’t work out as Simmons is now with the Atlanta Falcons, but it doesn’t change the reality that no one has seized the starting job opposite Tyrann Mathieu.

In Philly, the Eagles moved Bradberry from corner to safety – a switch that the veteran reportedly wasn’t thrilled about. The 31-year-old could be in danger of getting cut, but if he has anything left, he may be worth a look.

Former Saint C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Reed Blankenship are expected to be the Eagles’ starting safeties, leaving Avonte Maddox, Tristin McCollum, Andre Sam, Caden Sterns and Bradberry in the mix for the final few spots.

The New York Jets' tackles

Player of note: Max Mitchell

You know it’s rough when you’re looking to the New York Jets for offensive line help. But the New Orleans Saints seem far from settled in the trenches, hence the decision this week to split right tackle reps between Trevor Penning and Oli Udoh.

In any event, the Jets have stocked up at tackle this offseason and that could create an opening for New Orleans on the waiver wire. Specifically, the 2022 fourth-rounder may get cut since the Jets drafted Olu Fashanu, signed veteran Tyron Smith and acquired Morgan Moses. Mitchell has struggled in big spots, but he has positional flexibility – he can also play guard – and has started 12 of 20 games in his career.

The Minnesota Vikings safeties

Player of note: Lewis Cine

The Saints love taking a flyer on high-pedigree players whose careers just haven’t panned out the way people imagined.

The Saints also love players with off the charts athletic scores.

Heck, that makes Minnesota’s Lewis Cine practically a member of the Black and Gold already.

Cine, a former 2022 first rounder who had a career-altering leg injury, could be in danger of missing the Vikings’ roster in his third season. Minnesota is stacked at the position and reports indicate the 24-year-old is on the bubble.

Its’s not known whether the Saints would actually be interested in Cine, though he posted a 9.92 Relative Athletic Score pre-injury and flashed in this year’s preseason with 10 tackles, a sack and an interception last weekend against the Cleveland Browns.

Punters galore

The New Orleans Saints weren’t the only team with a battle at punter. And with how that’s unfolded, it wouldn’t entirely shocking if they see what else is out there.

The Broncos are still deciding between Trenton Gill and Riley Dixon. In Minnesota, Ryan Wright beat out Seth Vernon. The Bengals, who cut 11 players Thursday to begin trimming down the roster, had a three-way battle at punter this summer and have narrowed it down to either Ryan Rehkow or Brad Robbins.

It’s unclear whether any of the players mentioned above definitively would be better for New Orleans than Lou Hedley or Matthew Hayball. But that’s why the Saints’ front office gets paid to examine rosters across the NFL.