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The Saints may be without both Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed for the TNF game against the Broncos this week. Neither one of them practiced on Monday or Tuesday. Olave suffered a concussion this past Sunday against the Bucs. It's almost a certainty that he will not play. Although Shaheed played throughout and finished the game against the Bucs this past Sunday, he has a "knee" and unless he is cleared to play, he too may miss this week's game. If there is a silver lining to all of the injuries the Saints have had with players being out for recent games, it's that they will have a mini bye after Thursday night and will have 10 days rest before traveling on the road to play the LAC.
If Olave and Shaheed sit out this week the Saints currently have only Cedric Wilson, Bub Means, and Mason Tipton as other WRs on the active 53-man roster to turn to.
Wilson is a veteran journeyman WR who should be more like a 4th-5th type on the roster. That shows the lack of depth the Saints entered 2024 with.
Means is a Rookie 5th round draft choice who saw his most action in last weeks loss mostly due to Olave being injured. He played well against the Bucs. Good Sign.
Tipton, an undrafted free agent Rookie who has seen his snaps increase due to injuries but has yet to make an impact. He hasn't shown the separation we heard about.
The Saints entered last weeks game with a total of 5 gameday active WRs, with these 3 as depth behind Olave and Shaheed.
This Thursday Night the Saints will have to involve these 3 as primary receivers and most likely will elevate 2 players from the practice squad.
The Saints currently have Equanimeous St. Brown, Jermaine Jackson, Dante Pettis, and Kevin Austin, Jr. on the Practice Squad.
Brown at 6' 5", 214 pounds, is a 7 year veteran that has been on an active roster in 5 previous years. He has played in 60 games with 28 starts. He has totaled 63 receptions for 928 yards and 2 TDs in his Career. He's yet to play in 2024.
Pettis at 6' 1", 195 pounds, is a 6 year veteran that hasn't played in a regular season game since 2022. He has played in 50 games with 19 starts. He has totaled 71 receptions for 984 yards and 12 TDs in his Career. Yet to play in 2024.
Austin at 6' 2", 200 pounds, is a 3rd year player that has been relegated to the practice squad of the Jaguars and now the Saints. He has yet to play in a regular season NFL game.
Jackson at 5' 7", 170 pounds, is an undrafted free agent Rookie that went to camp with the Saints, was cut, then signed to the Practice Squad on 10/1/24. He was a very good return man in college.
None of the Saints 3 healthy players on the active 53-man roster scare anybody. The same can be said of the 4 on the practice squad.
Pettis has only been on the team a few days and it's unlikely he can be counted on to have learned the playbook and the system already. Austin is an unknown.
Logic says the Saints will elevate St. Brown from the practice squad to the gameday roster should Shaheed be ruled out and maybe even if he isn't.
He would give the offense an experienced player and is currently the tallest WR on the team. He would give Rattler a big target that they don't have.
The next predictable elevation would seem to be Jackson if Shaheed can't play Thursday Night. Jackson has the return skills to make some plays. His small stature may hinder his ability to see the field on offense.
The Saints will field a group of uninspiring players Thursday Night at the WR position. Hopefully the Rattler/Means relationship continues to grow. Beyond that someone else in this group will have to step up and make some plays. It'd be nice to see Tipton show what the Saints staff saw in him early in training camp.
The Saints have another dilemma. They still have issues on the Oline. Last week they elevated G Chris Reed from the PS to the active gameday roster for depth. He didn't see any action on Offense. They may still need a spot for him.
Looking beyond the WR room the Saints TE room hasn't produced much thus far in the receiving game in 2024. Moreau had the TD catch against the Chiefs that was pretty and made a nice route adjustment for a big gain against the Bucs but he's not a huge threat consistently in the passing game, yet he is the starting TE. Juwan Johnson has come on a bit as of late after being hurt and invisible. He has the ability to get open and make plays. He has to be more consistent and reliable. When Taysom returns healthy, he can make some plays from the TE position but until then the Saints have found little at the TE position so far in 2024. Dallin Holker got some snaps against the Bucs and was running wide open for what would have been a TD but SR didn't see him so Holker has yet to make any plays. The Saints have Michael Jacobson and Treyton Welch on the practice squad.
The RB room has arguably the best pass catching RB in the league in Alvin Kamara. With the Saints offense decimated with injuries opponents have been focusing on stopping AK and though they have been able to slow him down in the running game he has still been able to make some plays in the passing game. He alone in the passing game isn't enough. The Saints also have to get production from the WRs and the TEs. Jamaal Williams, Jordan Mims, and Adam Prentice are afterthoughts. Kendre Miller could be a factor in the passing game out of the backfield but first he has to get on the field. So far from this group AK41 is a one-man band.
What I'd like to see the Saints do under these circumstances, assuming Olave and Shaheed can't play, is to elevate Equanimeous St. Brown and Michael Jacobson from the PS to the active gameday roster. Jacobson has never been on an active gameday roster. He's been a transitioning PS player for the past 4 years learning the TE position as a former college basketball player. We've seen this experiment work before. He had his moments in training camp.
This would give the Saints 2 long and tall players that could go up for 50/50 balls and give Rattler targets with wide wing spans. St. Brown @ 6' 5" and Jacobson @ 6' 7" along with JJ @ 6' 4" would put height on the field.
Trading for a player or signing one off of the street this week won't be a factor Thursday Night. Certainly, trading for a player more capable and more experienced than the current group could help moving forward.
Any thoughts on what the Saints should do in the passing game this week and what players should be getting targets against the Broncos on TNF?
If Olave and Shaheed sit out this week the Saints currently have only Cedric Wilson, Bub Means, and Mason Tipton as other WRs on the active 53-man roster to turn to.
Wilson is a veteran journeyman WR who should be more like a 4th-5th type on the roster. That shows the lack of depth the Saints entered 2024 with.
Means is a Rookie 5th round draft choice who saw his most action in last weeks loss mostly due to Olave being injured. He played well against the Bucs. Good Sign.
Tipton, an undrafted free agent Rookie who has seen his snaps increase due to injuries but has yet to make an impact. He hasn't shown the separation we heard about.
The Saints entered last weeks game with a total of 5 gameday active WRs, with these 3 as depth behind Olave and Shaheed.
This Thursday Night the Saints will have to involve these 3 as primary receivers and most likely will elevate 2 players from the practice squad.
The Saints currently have Equanimeous St. Brown, Jermaine Jackson, Dante Pettis, and Kevin Austin, Jr. on the Practice Squad.
Brown at 6' 5", 214 pounds, is a 7 year veteran that has been on an active roster in 5 previous years. He has played in 60 games with 28 starts. He has totaled 63 receptions for 928 yards and 2 TDs in his Career. He's yet to play in 2024.
Pettis at 6' 1", 195 pounds, is a 6 year veteran that hasn't played in a regular season game since 2022. He has played in 50 games with 19 starts. He has totaled 71 receptions for 984 yards and 12 TDs in his Career. Yet to play in 2024.
Austin at 6' 2", 200 pounds, is a 3rd year player that has been relegated to the practice squad of the Jaguars and now the Saints. He has yet to play in a regular season NFL game.
Jackson at 5' 7", 170 pounds, is an undrafted free agent Rookie that went to camp with the Saints, was cut, then signed to the Practice Squad on 10/1/24. He was a very good return man in college.
None of the Saints 3 healthy players on the active 53-man roster scare anybody. The same can be said of the 4 on the practice squad.
Pettis has only been on the team a few days and it's unlikely he can be counted on to have learned the playbook and the system already. Austin is an unknown.
Logic says the Saints will elevate St. Brown from the practice squad to the gameday roster should Shaheed be ruled out and maybe even if he isn't.
He would give the offense an experienced player and is currently the tallest WR on the team. He would give Rattler a big target that they don't have.
The next predictable elevation would seem to be Jackson if Shaheed can't play Thursday Night. Jackson has the return skills to make some plays. His small stature may hinder his ability to see the field on offense.
The Saints will field a group of uninspiring players Thursday Night at the WR position. Hopefully the Rattler/Means relationship continues to grow. Beyond that someone else in this group will have to step up and make some plays. It'd be nice to see Tipton show what the Saints staff saw in him early in training camp.
The Saints have another dilemma. They still have issues on the Oline. Last week they elevated G Chris Reed from the PS to the active gameday roster for depth. He didn't see any action on Offense. They may still need a spot for him.
Looking beyond the WR room the Saints TE room hasn't produced much thus far in the receiving game in 2024. Moreau had the TD catch against the Chiefs that was pretty and made a nice route adjustment for a big gain against the Bucs but he's not a huge threat consistently in the passing game, yet he is the starting TE. Juwan Johnson has come on a bit as of late after being hurt and invisible. He has the ability to get open and make plays. He has to be more consistent and reliable. When Taysom returns healthy, he can make some plays from the TE position but until then the Saints have found little at the TE position so far in 2024. Dallin Holker got some snaps against the Bucs and was running wide open for what would have been a TD but SR didn't see him so Holker has yet to make any plays. The Saints have Michael Jacobson and Treyton Welch on the practice squad.
The RB room has arguably the best pass catching RB in the league in Alvin Kamara. With the Saints offense decimated with injuries opponents have been focusing on stopping AK and though they have been able to slow him down in the running game he has still been able to make some plays in the passing game. He alone in the passing game isn't enough. The Saints also have to get production from the WRs and the TEs. Jamaal Williams, Jordan Mims, and Adam Prentice are afterthoughts. Kendre Miller could be a factor in the passing game out of the backfield but first he has to get on the field. So far from this group AK41 is a one-man band.
What I'd like to see the Saints do under these circumstances, assuming Olave and Shaheed can't play, is to elevate Equanimeous St. Brown and Michael Jacobson from the PS to the active gameday roster. Jacobson has never been on an active gameday roster. He's been a transitioning PS player for the past 4 years learning the TE position as a former college basketball player. We've seen this experiment work before. He had his moments in training camp.
This would give the Saints 2 long and tall players that could go up for 50/50 balls and give Rattler targets with wide wing spans. St. Brown @ 6' 5" and Jacobson @ 6' 7" along with JJ @ 6' 4" would put height on the field.
Trading for a player or signing one off of the street this week won't be a factor Thursday Night. Certainly, trading for a player more capable and more experienced than the current group could help moving forward.
Any thoughts on what the Saints should do in the passing game this week and what players should be getting targets against the Broncos on TNF?
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