Updated

Updated · NOLA.com · Aug 14

Saints Spotlight 8 Players in Preseason Opener as Roster Battle Tightens for 53 Spots

Updated

Updated · NOLA.com · Aug 14

Saints Spotlight 8 Players in Preseason Opener as Roster Battle Tightens for 53 Spots

Q: With Kendre Miller battling multiple injuries, has Audric Estime permanently stolen the Saints' crucial RB3 role?

Not permanently, but Audric Estime has clearly taken control of the Saints’ RB3 race for now. The strongest evidence is opportunity plus production. Estime moved ahead in camp while Kendre Miller has been sidelined by a knee recovery and a new back issue, and Devin Neal has also been limited. Estime earned first-team reps in joint practice, started the preseason opener, and immediately helped his case with a 9-yard touchdown run. He had already built momentum from late last season, when he rushed for 198 yards in seven games and showed enough burst and physicality to make the competition real. Miller’s talent is still respected inside and around the team. Multiple reports suggest that, on pure ability, he may still be the most gifted option for the role behind Travis Etienne and Alvin Kamara. The problem is availability. Miller has dealt with repeated injuries over several seasons — including ACL, hamstring, ankle, concussion, and now back issues — and that has made it difficult for coaches to trust him in a depth role that often depends on reliability and special-teams readiness. So Estime has not “permanently stolen” the job in any official sense, but he has done the most important thing: he has made himself the leader while Miller is absent. If Miller cannot get healthy quickly and stay on the field through the rest of camp and preseason, Estime’s grip on RB3 could become permanent by default. Right now, the role is Estime’s to lose.

Q: Could Zach Wilson's surprisingly sharp preseason performance spark an unexpected backup quarterback controversy in New Orleans?

Yes — at least for the backup job, Wilson’s outing was strong enough to create real pressure on Spencer Rattler. Before the Jaguars game, Rattler was widely viewed as the clear No. 2 behind Tyler Shough. But Wilson was noticeably more dynamic in the preseason opener, going 11 of 16 for 145 yards and a touchdown while pushing the ball downfield. He produced explosive plays to Bub Means and Barion Brown and led two scoring drives before halftime. Coach Kellen Moore praised Wilson’s talent and progress in the system, and afterward did not shut down questions about the depth chart, saying, “We’ll see.” Rattler, by contrast, was efficient but conservative: 8 of 11 for 42 yards, with a lost fumble on a sack and just 3.8 yards per attempt. He started the game, which reflects where he stood entering camp, but his performance did little to strengthen that hold. The Saints already know more about Rattler after his previous starts; Wilson’s value in this setting is that he flashed higher-end arm talent and gave the offense more juice. That said, one preseason game should not be overstated. The Saints are not dealing with a controversy over the starting quarterback spot — Shough remains the unquestioned starter. What this game did was reopen the competition for QB2. If Wilson strings together another sharp showing and Rattler remains uneven, New Orleans may have to reconsider the order behind Shough.

3 articles · Updated · NOLA.com · Aug 14

Saturday’s Saints-Jaguars preseason opener will feature backups and fringe contributors, with eight New Orleans players drawing attention as the team sorts through a crowded roster.
Audric Estime appears to have the early edge for the No. 3 running back job after 198 rushing yards in seven games last season, helped by injuries to Devin Neal and Kendre Miller.
Bryce Lance, Barion Brown and Kevin Austin could open as the starting receivers, giving New Orleans a closer look at Brown’s return value and Austin’s case for a possible sixth receiver spot.
Jeremiah Wright and Christen Miller offer size and upside on the interior lines after injury-limited camps, while Jayden Price has strengthened a once-thin depth picture behind Jonas Sanker at Star.
The opener is especially important because several rookies and developmental players have been hard to judge in practice, where injuries and contact limits have masked game-ready traits.