Here’s an interesting pick for the New Orleans Saints Player of the Day. We’re almost through the trench players along the offensive and defensive lines, now that we’re into the 50’s while counting down the days until the Saints’ 2024 regular season kickoff. And linebacker Monty Rice is an intriguing player.
The former top-100 draft pick never found his way with the Tennessee Titans before being waived last December, and the Saints acted quickly to pick him up. New Orleans has experienced some turnover in the linebacker corps this offseason so he has an opportunity to make the cut. So what’s his story? And how can he win a roster spot?
- Name (Age): Monty Rice (24)
- Position: Linebacker
- Height, weight: 6-foot-0, 233 pounds
- Relative Athletic Score: 7.21
- 2024 salary cap hit: $1,321,209
- College: Georgia
- Drafted: Third round in 2021 (Tennessee Titans)
- NFL experience: 4 years
Rice was a big special teams player for the Titans, having logged 412 snaps in the kicking game compared to 631 on defense through 35 appearances in three years. And that figures to be his best path to winning a roster spot in New Orleans. The Saints favor linebackers on the punt and kickoff units, and they’ve lost guys like Zack Baun (385 snaps on special teams, most on the team) and Ty Summers (303) in free agency, while Nephi Sewell (266) is out for a while after his ACL injury on New Year’s Eve.
The starters are set in Demario Davis, Pete Werner and Willie Gay Jr., but it’s an open competition for the three or four roster spots behind them. Look for Rice to compete with D’Marco Jackson, Anfernee Orji, Khaleke Hudson, Jaylan Ford and Isaiah Stalbird at training camp. If he can help cover punt returns and run with the kickoff team while holding his own with the second-string defense, he’ll have a strong case for a spot on the depth chart when roster cuts are decided in August.
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