Tag: Shemar Jean-Charles

Saints PFF grades: Best, worst players from loss to Commanders in Week 15

Who were the best and worst players from the Saints’ Week 15 loss to the Washington Commanders according to the PFF grading system?

The New Orleans Saints have made their way to 5-9 on the season after a 20-19 loss to the Washington Commanders in Week 15. This loss leaves them on the precipice of being eliminated from the playoffs for the season, and ultimately with a decent shot of a solid draft pick.

As much as the Saints wanted to get back into this game, bringing it within a failed two-point conversion of winning the game, they fell short despite some strong individual performances on the team.

The PFF grades from this week coincide well with this fact, there are some players who had exceptionally high grades, and then it falls off to be about average or below average when you get beyond the players who performed extremely well. The Saints did not perform exceptionally well all around, and this is reflected in their respective grades.

Based on the Pro Football Focus grading system, here are the best and worse players from the Saints’ Week 15 loss to the Commanders:

Top 5 offense

  1. C Erik McCoy: 78.9
  2. TE Foster Moreau: 77.1
  3. WR Cedrick Wilson Jr: 74.6
  4. OT Taliese Fuaga: 72.6
  5. RB Alvin Kamara: 70.5

The Saints offensive line was very hit or miss in this game, but that was certainly not the fault of Erik McCoy or Taliese Fuaga, who both had outstanding games. McCoy came in with a whopping 91.1 run blocking grade, and Fuaga had a 90.9 pass blocking grade, with both players being near the top for the Saints. Cedrick Wilson Jr. managed a 83.0 run block grade on the day which is rather impressive as well. Kamara and Moreau both got on the list because of their contributions in the receiving game, with a 90.9 and 90.1 pass play grade respectively.

Top 5 Defense

  1. DE Carl Granderson: 87.0
  2. CB Shemar Jean-Charles: 84.9
  3. LB Demario Davis: 72.6
  4. DE Payton Turner: 71.9

T-5. CB Kool-Aid McKinstry: 71.3

T-5. LB Willie Gay: 71.3

The defense for the Saints graded out pretty well in comparison to previous weeks, especially Carl Granderson who played a total of 53 snaps and put together an 87.0 grade, leading the team. Shemar Jean-Charles was only put into the game late, with a total of 9 defensive snaps, but he was targeted once and forced a PBU so not bad all things considered. Demario Davis had an outstanding day as well, with 78 total snaps, 10 tackles, 2 pressures, a sack, and only 1 missed tackle in that span. Overall a very strong day from the defense up top.

Bottom 5 offense

  1. TE Juwan Johnson: 43.5
  2. LG Lucas Patrick: 48.0
  3. RT Trevor Penning: 49.1
  4. QB Jake Haener: 54.5
  5. WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling: 55.0

When I mentioned the offensive line having a poor day but it not reflecting on Fuaga or McCoy, it most certainly reflected on the others, as Lucas Patrick and Trevor Penning both had grades under 50, which indicates extremely poor play according to PFF grading. Juwan Johnson was also worth noting here, considering his drops throughout the game and generally a quiet performance from him even without them. Marquez Valdes-Scantling was an interesting one given his big-time second half reception to kick off the Saints offense, and PFF did list him as a 45.1 grade on passing downs, which is interesting to say the least. Jake Haener was relatively self-explanatory, not much to speak of offensively with him and shorted out the offense when he was on the field, taking only 21 snaps in the first half before being benched for Spencer Rattler.

Bottom 5 Defense

  1. DE Isaiah Foskey: 40.9
  2. DT Bryan Bresee: 50.0
  3. CB Alontae Taylor: 51.7
  4. CB Ugo Amadi: 53.3
  5. FS Tyrann Mathieu: 58.8

Some unusual suspects on the negative end of the PFF grading system from Week 15, with three of the five players being regular starters in Bresee, Taylor, and Mathieu. Unfortunately this mostly reflects on the first half of play, where the Saints defense had trouble stopping both the run and the pass, which negatively impacted those who got tied to those plays. Bresee had a down day compared to the past few weeks, with only 3 pressures and no sacks when most of the defensive line was producing, primarily because he seemed to be taking on double teams at a high rate.

Special teams

Special teams had a somewhat middle of the road day outside the top few players, with Shemar Jean-Charles (81.0), J.T. Gray (71.2) and Zach Wood (63.9) being the only three players with grades above a 61. Most of the team resided in the range of 60 to 61 in terms of grades, however on the other end, there were some players with sub-50 grades as well. Adam Prentice (43.7), Rico Payton (40.4), Isaiah Foskey (38.1), and Payton Turner (37.4) were those who ended up on the negative side of things for special teams, and ultimately that was primarily due to penalties or missed plays.

quarterback play

The quarterback play in this game was between Jake Haener and Spencer Rattler. As we previously mentioned, Haener had a 54.5 grade overall, and this was due to a 55.9 passing grade and a 57.9 rushing grade. Spencer Rattler graded out a decent clip better, coming up with a 69.0 overall grade and 68.4 passing grade. Funny enough, Cedrick Wilson Jr. came out with the best passing grade on the day, with a 74.6 offensive grade and 71.0 passing grade.

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WATCH: Shemar Jean-Charles rips the ball away for a must-see interception

WATCH: Saints corner Shemar Jean-Charles rips the ball away from Panthers wideout Xavier Legette for a must-see interception in his first start:

The New Orleans Saints’ defense picked up late in their game with the Carolina Panthers, especially on this play as Shemar Jean-Charles ripped the ball away from rookie Xavier Legette for an interception. Legette had all but caught and tucked away the pass, but Jean-Charles was able to get his hands between the ball and the receiver, pulling the ball away for himself instead and giving the Saints possession back.

In a game where the cornerback group is pretty much completely new aside from Alontae Taylor due to injuries, they needed someone to step up if they were to have a chance on defense. The preseason standout Jean-Charles was one such player, making an exceptional play on the defensive end in his first career start.

Saints starting cornerback was a street free agent just two weeks ago

From street free agent to starting on Sunday: Recapping the last month for New Orleans Saints cornerback Shemar Jean-Charles

It’s been a busy couple of months for Shemar Jean-Charles. The New Orleans Saints cornerback has bounced on and off of the team’s practice squad after a standout performance during the preseason; if not for rookie sensation Rico Payton, he likely would’ve made the roster outright. Instead, he’s gone from being a street free agent to a game-day starter in a matter of weeks.

Let’s recap his experience. Jean-Charles was waived during final roster cuts on Aug. 27 and re-signed with the Saints practiice squad a few weeks later on Sept. 11, only to be let go again on Oct. 15. His return was announced the next week on Oct. 22, after Paulson Adebo’s season-ending injury. He was promoted to the 53-man roster on Nov. 2, just in time to start in Adebo’s place against the Carolina Panthers on Nov. 3.

Not bad for a former late-round draft pick. Payton is dealing with a back  issue and hamstring injuries have sidelined both Marshon Lattimore and  Kool-Aid McKinstry, so Jean-Charles is one of a couple of new faces in the Saints secondary on Sunday. Here’s hoping he makes some plays and hangs tough against a Panthers offense desperate to end their losing streak.

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Veteran wide receiver signs with the Saints practice squad

Veteran wide receiver Dante Pettis signed with the New Orleans Saints practice squad. Injuries are piling up and he has some key connections to their coaching staff:

The New Orleans Saints didn’t trade for Davante Adams, but another veteran wide receiver was spotted in the No. 17 jersey at their Tuesday practice session. Former San Francisco 49ers second-round draft pick Dante Pettis signed with the practice squad and cornerback Shemar Jean-Charles was let go in a corresponding roster move.

Pettis, 28, played college football at Washington before entering the 2018 NFL draft. He played a bit part in San Francisco, catching 71 passes in 50 games for 984 yards and 12 touchdowns, before later spending time with the New York Giants and Chicago Bears. His time in Chicago overlapped with Saints quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko and another practice squad wideout in Equanimeous St. Brown.

Injuries are stacking up at the position for New Orleans. Chris Olave is in the league concussion protocol and Rashid Shaheed may miss time with a knee issue; backups Cedrick Wilson Jr. and Bub Means were also listed on this week’s injury report. Don’t expect Pettis to play against the Denver Broncos on Thursday night, but the Saints will need his help filling out reps at practice right away.

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Saints bring back Shemar Jean-Charles to their practice squad

The New Orleans Saints are bringing Shemar Jean-Charles back to their practice squad. Reloading at cornerback makes sense with Marshon Lattimore’s new injury:

Help is on the way at cornerback with the New Orleans Saints re-signing Shemar Jean-Charles to their practice squad, as first reported by Nola.com’s Luke Johnson. The Saints had a spot open up when the Cleveland Browns signed linebacker Khaleke Hudson from their practice squad. Jean-Charles was let go during roster cuts in August and was initially expected to sign with the Saints’ practice squad, but that deal fell through. Now he’s back in the building.

And he should be expected to play on Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys. All five cornerbacks on the Saints’ 53-man roster were active and on the field last week, and with Marshon Lattimore nursing a new hamstring injury Jean-Charles would be next in line. Here’s how each of them fared in the season  opener:

  • Marshon Lattimore: 32 snaps
  • Paulson Adebo: 54 snaps
  • Alontae Taylor: 46 snaps (plus 7 on special teams)
  • Kool-Aid McKinstry: 28 snaps (plus 9 on special teams)
  • Rico Payton: 7 snaps (plus 17 on special teams)

Jean-Charles is the only corner on the practice squad right now so he’ll likely play right away as a game-day activation. The Appalachian State product spent last December on the Saints practice squad before being elevated to the 53-man roster in January, and he more than held his own throughout the subsequent offseason. If Payton hadn’t excelled so well this summer Jean-Charles probably would’ve made the team instead.

So the Saints still have impressive depth at cornerback. There’s plenty to criticize about the ways Dennis Allen and Mickey Loomis have built and managed this team, but with Allen running the defense they’ve consistently developed reliable players in the secondary.

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Panthers work out 4 players on Tuesday

The Panthers worked out four cornerbacks on Tuesday—and one of those players came away with a deal.

The Carolina Panthers had a clear agenda on Tuesday.

As noted by Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston yesterday afternoon, the team worked out four cornerbacks—Kyron Brown, A.J. Green (no, not that one), Azizi Hearn and Shemar Jean-Charles. The Panthers would later announce the signing of Hearn, who was added to the practice squad along with defensive lineman DeShawn Williams.

An Oceanside, Calif. native, Hearn began his collegiate career at the University of Arizona in 2017. He’d go on to play in 12 games for the Wildcats during the 2018 campaign—recording 26 combined tackles and one pass defensed.

The 6-foot-1, 204-pounder would later transfer to the University of Wyoming for the 2019, 2020 and 2021 campaigns, and then to UCLA for 2022. He appeared in 45 contests over those four years.

Hearn proceeded to hit the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2023. After he was released at the end of the summer, he signed on to the New England Patriots’ practice squad for the season.

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Shemar Jean-Charles is the first Saints cornerback to be let go

In a surprising move, Shemar Jean-Charles was one of the first Saints cornerbacks to be let go. He’s had a strong summer:

Which backup would the New Orleans Saints keep at cornerback? Rezjohn Wright, who spent last season on the practice squad? Shemar Jean-Charles, who climbed the depth chart and filled in for Marshon Lattimore at training camp? Or Rico Payton, who consistently popped off the screen in the preseason games?

In a surprise move, it was Jean-Charles to be let go as one of the team’s first roster cuts on Tuesday. He practiced ahead of his peers for much of the summer and more than held his own in the preseason, and he was a popular choice for 53-man predictions around the Saints beat.

That’s not to say this is the end of the road. If he clears waivers, Jean-Charles could simply re-sign with the practice squad later this week. But that could be a big “if.” Quality cornerbacks are in demand and all it would take is another team submitting a waiver claim to put him out of reach.

But this may speak more to the strength of the position in New Orleans than any flaws in Jean-Charles’ game. Payton was targeted 13 times and only allowed 3 receptions. That matters. The Saints are deeper at cornerback than any other position on their roster and good players are going to be let go, including Jean-Charles. Hopefully he can return but if not, well; he’s earned the opportunity to compete for a better job somewhere else.

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Countdown to Kickoff: Shemar Jean-Charles is the Saints Player of Day 27

Countdown to Kickoff: Shemar Jean-Charles is the Saints Player of Day 27. How can he stand out in a crowded cornerbacks room?

Our countdown to kickoff is picking up with Day 27, making Shemar Jean-Charles (the current owner of the No. 27 jersey) the New Orleans Saints Player of the Day. The cornerback has taken a tough road to get here, but the finish line is in sight:

  • Name (Age): Shemar Jean-Charles (26)
  • Position: Defensive back
  • Height, weight: 5-foot-10, 184 pounds
  • Relative Athletic Score: 4.27
  • 2024 salary cap hit: $1,055,000
  • College: Appalachian State
  • Drafted: Round 5, Pick 178 in 2021 (Green Bay Packers)
  • NFL experience: 4 seasons

Jean-Charles grew up in the Miami suburbs and played high school football at Miramar, where he was recruited to App State. He won All-American and All-Sun Belt recognition in 2020 despite lacking standout athletic traits, which helped him get drafted by the Packers. He spent the first few years of his pro career in Green Bay until he was let go during roster cuts last summer.

The San Francisco 49erse practice squad picked him up and Jean-Charles remained with the team through November, until he was waived again and signed by the Saints. Jean-Charles spent the month of December on New Orleans’ practice squad and was promoted to their 53-man roster in January. He’s totaled 28 games in his NFL career, largely appearing on special teams.

So how can he stand out in a crowded cornerbacks room? Jean-Charles needs to prove he can hold up in coverage and compete at the catch point despite his slighter frame, all while making tackles in the open field and continuing to help out in the kicking game. The Saints already have their top four corners in the building so the other players at the position are competing for spots on the practice squad — a group that includes Jean-Charles, Rezjohn Wright, Rico Payton and Mac McCain. Let’s see if he can help himself through the next two preseason games.

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Saints waive backup cornerback Faion Hicks after minicamp

The New Orleans Saints waived backup cornerback Faion Hicks after minicamp, opening a spot on their offseason 91-man roster:

The New Orleans Saints waived backup cornerback Faion Hicks after minicamp, per Saints News Network’s John Hendrix, opening a spot on their offseason 90-man roster. Really it’s a 91-man roster with rookie kicker Charlie Smyth receiving an exemption as part of the NFL’s International Player Program, but the point is that the Saints now have room for one more.

Hicks joined the Saints’ practice squad last September after being drafted by the Denver Broncos out of Wisconsin back in 2022; he wasn’t part of Sean Payton’s plans for fixing Denver’s defense, so he was let go during final roster cuts. He had some good moments in spring practices but missed time with a recent hamstring injury.

He was looking to compete for a spot on the practice squad again this summer with the Saints already rostering the cornerbacks they’re likely to carry into the season. Their typical pattern under Dennis Allen has been to roster four corners, who are all active when healthy, while stashing two or three backups on the practice squad. It’s possible Hicks could return after healing up but right now the Saints have a good mix competing for those spots in Rejzohn Wright and Shemar Jean-Charles (who, like Hicks, were on their practice squad last year) as well as undrafted rookie Rico Payton.

So what’s the plan for that final roster spot? The Saints could simply be looking to sign a free agent who tried out at minicamp, but this combined with their recent Taysom Hill restructure may hint at a bigger move. There’s plenty of time to shop for upgrades before training camp kicks off on July 24, so stay tuned.

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Saints complete several last-second roster moves before Week 18 vs. Falcons

The Saints completed several last-second roster moves to prepare for Week 18’s game against the Falcons:

We’re hours away from what may be the last New Orleans Saints game of the year. A loss in Sunday’s matchup with the Atlanta Falcons would end the Saints’ season, while a win could only extend it by a few more minutes, depending on how the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ contest with the Carolina Panthers goes, or hours, with a couple of different late-afternoon matchups factoring into the playoff picture.

But it all starts with a win on Sunday. And to that end, the Saints processed a series of last-minute roster moves to bring up reinforcements from their practice squad and the injured reserve list. Here’s what you need to know about each of them: