On the Lookout

Looking forward to the Saints’ first preseason game



            NFL FOOTBALL IS BACK!  Well… somewhat.  The preseason is here, but hey, that’s better than nothing right?  We’ve had a few games already take place this week, but the game that we’re all looking forward to the most is taking place this weekend. 

            The New Orleans Saints travel to Houston on Saturday to take on the Texans in their first preseason game of the season.  In my opinion, these are two teams that are likely to end up on opposite ends of the standings by year’s end, but none of that matters in the preseason.  The purpose of the preseason is to get the starters somewhat game-ready, but most of all, to give the young players a chance to earn a roster spot or make their cases for more playing time.  It's exciting to see a guy go from unknown to fan favorite of a one-month period. 

            Now, every off season we hear stories throughout training camp about players standing out or struggling.  Every day we see stories written about whether the offense or defense won the day.  But all we all want to know is what will carry over when the team actually steps foot on the field for a game.  And while the preseason may not be a game that matters to all, it means the world to a lot of these guys.  So, I still expect some solid football on Saturday. 

            With that said, here are a few things I’m going to be looking for on Saturday for the Saints!

-       Will anyone ease the concerns at the linebacker position?

            If you listen to our podcast (Who F’n Kneauxs Podcast), you know it’s no secret that I have major concerns when it comes to the linebacker position for the Saints.  Depth was already a concern for me coming into training camp, and to make matters worth, guys seem to be dropping like flies.  Rookie Demarco Jackson was placed on injured reserve, and second year linebacker Pete Werner is dealing with a groin injury.  That leaves Andrew Dowell, Kaden Ellis, Chase Hansen and Zach Baun to pick up the slack.  Do those names bring you joy? Yeah, me neither.  I’d love to see one of these guys step up and show that they can be a productive player at that position.  Maybe the Saints have a plan to utilize the safeties they have that can play in the box to help the weakness at linebacker. That might also be something to look out for Saturday night.

-       Does anyone begin to establish themselves as RB3?

           Some people are more concerned about the running back position than others.  I tend to lean towards the less concerned end of that scale.  That’s of course with the belief that Alvin Kamara plays the entire season.  If he ends up missing games to suspension or injury, then my level of concern will increase dramatically.  The Saints have a mixture of veterans and young guys that will be competing for the third running back spot behind Mark Ingram.  All of these guys come with a level of promise and potential, but will they put it together or will they force the Saints to bring in outside competition? As of today, it seems Dwayne Washington is going to get the first crack at the position, but I think the guy I’m looking forward to seeing the most is rookie Abram Smith.  He’s a big bruising back, and I have a feeling he starts to separate himself as the preseason goes on. 

-       Is there competition for Taysom Hill at tight end?

           Taysom Hill should be tight end one, and I don’t think anyone will debate that.  I, for one, and very intrigued and excited at the prospect of him being a full-time tight end.  His combination of size and speed is something that I’ve long said could make him a dominant player at that position.  But who is next in line behind him?  Is anyone going to actually challenge him for playing time or touches?  Behind him we have a few guys with potential that haven’t been able to be consistent when they’re on the field.  Adam Trautman is the obvious answer here being the investment the team made in him.  He had his moments, good and bad, during the season last year and in camp this year.  If he can put it together, the Saints could have a really great combo at tight end.  Juwan Johnson is exciting with his physical abilities, but the guy I’m most interested in is Chris Herndon.  I’ve always felt he was never put in a position to succeed in New York, and he just didn’t have enough time in Minnesota.  I’m looking forward to seeing him getting some action in the preseason and hopefully stealing a roster spot. 

-       Will we all still hate Caesar Ruiz?

          It’s no secret that Caesar Ruiz has been terrible his first two seasons in the NFL.  Sure, we can make the excuse that he hasn’t had a true normal offseason in his career to this point, but when you’re a first-round pick, you should still be able to at least show promise in games.  He hasn’t done that.  However, this year there’s a couple new coaches around Saints’ camp that should be to his benefit.  The Saints brought in Doug Marrone who is an incredible offensive line coach, and former Saints’ legend and Hall of Fame nominee Jhari Evans has been hanging around camp as a coaching intern.  If those two guys can’t fix Ruiz, then no one can.  It’s put up or shut time for Ruiz. 

-       The Rookies

         The Saints made the entire fan base happy by moving up for rookie wide receiver Chris Olave. They also spent their second first round pick on left tackle Trevor Penning.  We won’t get to see Olave work with Jameis, but I’m still excited to actually see how he moves in a real game.  I’m sure he will get limited snaps, but we’ll still be able to learn a lot from the time he is on the field.  Penning is the more intriguing of the two first round guys, in my opinion.  Mostly because he’s less proven than Olave and needs some work.  He should get a lot of reps, not only this week, but the entire preseason.  I’m hoping to see him prove he can compete against quality defensive ends, but also show that he can do so without getting penalized.  The last guy I’m looking forward to seeing is second-round safety/cornerback Alonte Taylor.  His selection confused a lot of Saints fans on draft night, but throughout camp he seems to have made a name for himself and become a fan favorite.  He also should get plenty playing time, and while I think Adebo has the CB2 position locked up, it’ll be interesting to see if Taylor can close that gap.  I want to see how much time he plays in the slot to see if he’s an eventual replace for *redacted*….

          I’m sure all of you are ready to see actual Saints’ football again as well.  We don’t have to wait too much longer! Let me know what you’re looking forward to seeing the most tomorrow night and throughout the preseason.

WHO DAT!