The New Orleans Saints will launch their 2024 preseason on Saturday night against the Arizona Cardinals, and while all of their healthy players are expected to get on the field throughout the evening, some have more to gain than others.
Between training camp battles and opportunities created by the injury bug biting their competition, a couple of players must seize this moment. That means making plays and doing things to catch their coach’s eye.
With that in mind, here are six players we’re going to be watching closely at State Farm Stadium when the Saints and Cardinals kick off in exhibition:
Nacua, who wears the No. 89 jersey, might be more than the brother of another team’s young star. He’s been competing hard at Saints training camp and made some acrobatic catches, quickly becoming one of Jake Haener’s favorite targets on the third-team offense. But with so many receivers sidelined by injuries (the Saints may only have six of them healthy for this game), Nacua should see plenty of targets regardless of who’s in at quarterback.
Dennis Allen has already spoken about how eager the Saints are to get Mims more touches and opportunities in the preseason so they can fully evaluate his game. They know he can run well behind Klint Kubiak’s zone-heavy blocking scheme, and he caught a lot of passes in college — from Haener at Fresno State. But can he pick up the blitz in pass protection? Can he add an element to their special teams coverage? Expect Mims to audition in a couple of different roles as he makes his case for a roster spot.
Haener is still ahead of Rattler on the depth chart, but that could change in a hurry if the rookie lights it up. He’s had some turnovers and regrettable throws at training camp but he’s also made a lot of passes that anyone would be proud of on their highlight reel. If Rattler gets out there and commands the offense with authority and keeps the Cardinals defense on their heels, watch out. He just might take that QB2 spot.
Orji might be losing ground in the competition for a roster spot at linebacker. And this is where things fell apart for him last summer — he missed too many tackles in the preseason, which ultimately landed him on the practice squad. He needs to tackle cleanly and prove his coaches can trust him when they call his number. Expect him to play a lot of snaps inn the third quarter and second half behind guys like D’Marco Jackson and Khaleke Hudson.
It almost feels like cheating to highlight a player drafted as highly as McKinstry, but Dennis Allen has spoken about how badly he needs reps this offseason after missing the spring program recovering from foot surgery. Both Marshon Lattimore and Paulson Adebo have missed recent practices while dealing with their own injuries lately, so the rookie should see a ton of snaps. Every rep counts when he’s making his case to get on the field in September.
Did you know this will be the first NFL game of Hergel’s life — as a spectator or player? The rookie guard has quietly enjoyed a very strong summer, and if the Saints didn’t have Cesar Ruiz entrenched on the right side he might already be in the starting lineup. Hergel has taken almost all of the snaps at right guard on the second-team offense while occasionally rotating into the left guard spot with the starters. He’s put himself in great position to win a roster spot, but a productive preseason could seal the deal.