The Mew Orleans Saints filed a series of last-minute roster moves ahead of Saturday’s kickoff with the Cleveland Browns, signing wide receiver Kirk Merritt to their active roster from the practice squad, replacing veteran slot receiver Jarvis Landry after he went to injured reserve, while also bringing up wide receiver Keith Kirkwood and backup offensive lineman Josh Andrews as single-game elevations (meaning they’ll both revert to the practice squad after this game).
It makes sense to reload on receivers after losing Landry to injured reserve and ruling out Chris Olave with a hamstring issue that kept him out of practice all week. Merritt and Kirkwood should both have roles to play behind Rashid Shaheed, Marquez Callaway, and Tre’Quan Smith, but don’t look for many passes from Andy Dalton with the Saints and Browns playing during hazardous winter conditions. With wind and snow in the forecast, each squad should lean on its run game rather than look to throw all over the yard. That helps explain Andrews’ elevation as a backup center and guard, but it’s also worth noting the Saints lost right guard Cesar Ruiz to a Lisfranc injury this week and left guard Andrus Peat is questionable to play due to an illness.
So while some players will be healthy inactives this week, the Saints are going to again be without some key contributors due to injuries and illnesses. That includes standout rookie receiver Chris Olave and breakout linebacker Pete Werner, both managing hamstring injuries, and it’s unclear whether star cornerback Marshon Lattimore (abdomen) will be able to play this week. Here’s this week’s Saints roster:
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - DECEMBER 18: Andy Dalton #14 of the New Orleans Saints throws a…Dec 18, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston (2) looks on…Dec 18, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) during…NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - DECEMBER 18: Andy Dalton #14 of the New Orleans Saints hands the…SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 27: Dwayne Washington #24 of the New Orleans Saints warms up…Oct 20, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals running back Eno Benjamin (26) against the New…Jan 2, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Taysom Hill (7) runs behind…Dec 18, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson (83) is…TAMPA, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 05: Adam Trautman #82 of the New Orleans Saints runs with the…TAMPA, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 05: Taysom Hill #7 of the New Orleans Saints celebrates with Adam…NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - DECEMBER 18: James Hurst #74 of the New Orleans Saints on the…New Orleans Saints offensive tackle Trevor Penning (70) looks to block Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Carlo…New Orleans Saints tackle Landon Young (67) and center Nick Martin (72) run through drills during…New Orleans Saints guard Andrus Peat (75) reacts during an NFL football game against the Tampa…New Orleans Saints offensive lineman Lewis Kidd runs through drills during training camp at their NFL…New Orleans center Erik McCoy (78) runs through drills during training camp at their NFL football…Nov 21, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New Orleans Saints guard Calvin Throckmorton (76) prepares to block…Oct 20, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; New Orleans Saints offensive tackle Ryan Ramczyk (71) against the…New Orleans Saints offensive lineman Josh Andrews (68) runs through drills during training camp at their…NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - DECEMBER 18: Chris Olave #12 of the New Orleans Saints is tackled…Dec 18, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (89) catches…Oct 2, 2022; London, United Kingdom; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Marquez Callaway (1) catches the…NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - OCTOBER 16: Tre'Quan Smith #10 of the New Orleans Saints celebrates with…NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - AUGUST 26: Kirk Merritt #85 of the New Orleans Saints is tackled…NEW ORLEANS, LA - NOVEMBER 18: Keith Kirkwood #18 of the New Orleans Saints signals for…Oct 20, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; New Orleans Saints punter Blake Gillikin (4) against the Arizona…Sep 11, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New Orleans Saints place kicker Wil Lutz (3) reacts with…New Orleans Saints long snapper Zach Wood (49), linebacker Kaden Elliss (55), and linebacker Pete Werner…GLENDALE, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 20: Eno Benjamin #26 of the Arizona Cardinals carries the ball as…New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan (94) takes a break during an NFL football game…New Orleans Saints defensive end Carl Granderson (96) celebrates a stop with middle linebacker Kwon Alexander…New Orleans Saints defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon (90) rushes around Los Angeles Chargers tight end Hunter…PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - NOVEMBER 13: Payton Turner #98 of the New Orleans Saints tackles Kenny Pickett…Sep 25, 2022; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; New Orleans Saints defensive tackle David Onyemata (93) is…TAMPA, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 05: Shy Tuttle #99 of the New Orleans Saints celebrates after sacking…New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Kentavius Street (91) in action during an NFL football game against…SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 27: Malcolm Roach #97 of the New Orleans Saints reacts after…Oct 20, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis (56) against the Arizona…GLENDALE, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 20: Keaontay Ingram #30 of the Arizona Cardinals carries the ball as…SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 27: Christian McCaffrey #23 of the San Francisco 49ers runs for…New Orleans Saints linebacker Chase Hansen (40) celebrates with teammates after he returned an interception for…New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis, right, and New Orleans Saints linebacker Andrew Dowell, left, warm…Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Ty Summers (54) runs in to Tennessee Titans punter Ryan Stonehouse (4) during…SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 27: Jauan Jennings #15 of the San Francisco 49ers catches a…Sep 11, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New Orleans Saints safety Marcus Maye (6) celebrates after forcing…Sep 25, 2022; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; New Orleans Saints cornerback P.J. Williams (26) comes off…New Orleans Saints safety Daniel Sorensen (25) reacts during an NFL football game against the Tampa…Oct 2, 2022; London, United Kingdom; New Orleans Saints safety J.T. Gray (48) celebrates in the…ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 11: Safety Justin Evans #30 of the New Orleans Saints knocks a…New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore reacts after being thrown out of the game after a…Oct 30, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor (27) reacts to…November 27, 2022; Santa Clara, California, USA; New Orleans Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo (29) deflects the…NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - DECEMBER 18: Bradley Roby #21 of the New Orleans Saints celebrates after…Nov 20, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints safety Chris Harris Jr. (19) reacts…May 24, 2022; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans defensive back Isaac Yiadom (20) watches organized team…
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