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Sport
John Sigler

Saints’ 53-man roster projection ahead of 2023 NFL draft

It’s almost here: the 2023 NFL draft is just days away, and the New Orleans Saints are in a good position to add some talented rookies to a roster that’s already built to compete in the wide-open NFC. With three picks in a 42-slot span (at Nos. 29, 40, and 71) they should come away with at least two players who can help out right away.

So what does the projected 53-man roster look like right now? The projection will look very different in just a few weeks once the Saints make their draft selections and finish signing more free agents, so this is a useful exercise to get an idea of their immediate needs going into the draft. One look is all it takes to get an idea of which areas should be priorities on draft day:

Offense (25)

Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
  • Quarterback: 2
  • Running back: 3
  • Fullback: 1
  • Tight end: 3
  • Flex: 1
  • Wide receiver: 5
  • Offensive line: 10

QB Derek Carr

Sean Gardner/Getty Images

QB Jameis Winston

Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

RB Alvin Kamara

Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images

RB Jamaal Williams

Kirthmon F. Dozier / Detroit Free Press / USA TODAY NETWORK

RB Eno Benjamin

Jan 8, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Carolina Panthers linebacker Cory Littleton (55) tackles New Orleans Saints running back Eno Benjamin (31) during the first half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

FB Adam Prentice

Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

FLEX Taysom Hill

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

TE Juwan Johnson

Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

TE Adam Trautman

Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

TE Lucas Krull

Sean Gardner/Getty Images

LT James Hurst

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

LT Trevor Penning

Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

LG Andrus Peat

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

LG Calvin Throckmorton

AP Photo/Matt Patterson

LG Lewis Kidd

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

C Erik McCoy

Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

RG Cesar Ruiz

Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

RT Ryan Ramczyk

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

RT Landon Young

AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper

RT Storm Norton

Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

WR Michael Thomas

Eakin Howard/Getty Images

WR Chris Olave

Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

WR Rashid Shaheed

Dustin Satloff/Getty Images

WR Tre'Quan Smith

AP Photo/Brynn Anderson

WR Bryan Edwards

Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

Special teams (3)

AP Photo/Gerald Herbert
  • Punter: 1
  • Kicker: 1
  • Long snapper: 1

P Blake Gillikin

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

K Wil Lutz

David Grunfeld/The Advocate via AP, Pool

LS Zach Wood

AP Photo/Danny Karnik

Defense (25)

Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
  • Defensive line: 9
  • Linebacker: 6
  • Defensive back: 10

LE Cameron Jordan

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

LE Tanoh Kpassagnon

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

LE Jabari Zuniga

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

NT Khalen Saunders

Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

DT Nathan Shepherd

AP Photo/Charles Krupa

DT Malcolm Roach

Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

DT Prince Emili

AP Photo/Joshua Bessex

RE Carl Granderson

Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

RE Payton Turner

Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

MLB Demario Davis

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

MLB D'Marco Jackson

Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

MLB Andrew Dowell

AP Photo/Stephen Brashear

WLB Pete Werner

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

WLB Ty Summers

Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images

SLB Zack Baun

Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

SS Tyrann Mathieu

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

SS Johnathan Abram

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

FS Marcus Maye

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

FS J.T. Gray

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

FS Lonnie Johnson Jr.

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

SLOT Bradley Roby

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

LCB Paulson Adebo

Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

LCB Alontae Taylor

AP Photo/Brynn Anderson

LCB Isaac Yiadom

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

RCB Marshon Lattimore

Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images
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