Who stood out most in the New Orleans Saints preseason games — for good and bad? Pro Football Focus player grades aren’t useful for any serious analysis, but they are nice for a quick reference when scouring each end of the spectrum.
There’s a wide gulf in sample sizes in preseason, though, so we’re filtering the lists down to players who were on the field for at least 20% of snaps in each phase of the game. That removes guys who were only out there for seven or eight plays while reflecting those who were actively participating each week.
Here’s what PFF had to say about the Saints’ best (and worst) performers on offense and defense after three preseason games:
Top 5 offense (minimum 44 snaps)
- TE Lucas Krull: 83.6 on 81 snaps
- RT Storm Norton: 73.3 on 119 snaps
- QB Jameis Winston: 67.8 on 91 snaps
- WR Jontre Kirklin: 66.5 on 120 snaps
- OL Calvin Throckmorton: 65.7 on 63 snaps
Honorable mentions: TE Jimmy Graham (69.2 on 40 snaps), WR Shaquan Davis (65.6 on 96 snaps), WR A.T. Perry (64.8 on 118 snaps)
Krull won high marks for his play as a receiver, but his blocking needs work. Norton was arguably the best player on the second-team offensive line, and it’ll be tough to cut him. Throckmorton was rated highly despite drawing multiple penalty flags through the preseason. Kirklin did everything he could with the opportunities he was given, as did both of the rookie receivers. The Saints have some difficult roster cuts ahead of them in the receiving corps.
Top 5 defense (minimum 39 snaps)
- DE Payton Turner: 83.6 on 57 snaps
- DB Lonnie Johnson Jr.: 81.8 on 77 snaps
- LB Ryan Connelly: 74.5 on 59 snaps
- CB Alontae Taylor: 72.8 on 42 snaps
- LB Jaylon Smith: 72.1 on 53 snaps
Honorable mentions: DT Jack Heflin (69.1 on 63 snaps), LB D’Marco Jackson (68.4 on 79 snaps), DB Ugo Amadi (67.0 on 75 snaps)
Turner really needs this positive propaganda after two frustrating seasons to start his career. Good on him for developing and making plays each week. He left the preseason with 4 pressures (including a sack), tied with Bryan Bresee for fourth-most on the team despite playing maybe two games’ worth of pass-rush snaps. Johnson mainly lined up at free safety but he also covered the slot at times, and sometimes moved down beneath to fill run defense in the box. Connelly’s injury is really unfortunate, but Smith looked like he belonged from the first time he stepped on the field.
Bottom 5 offense (minimum 44 snaps)
- OL Mark Evans II (41.3 on 92 snaps)
- QB Jake Haener (43.5 on 120 snaps)
- LT Lewis Kidd (46.4 on 178 snaps)
- FB Adam Prentice (51.5 on 52 snaps)
- C Alex Pihlstrom (54.2 on 106 snaps)
Three of the bottom-five players on offense were rookies, and it’s typical that first-year pros will have to take their lumps while moving to the NFL from various levels of competition. You don’t want to be too hard on them for it. Kidd struggled at left tackle after mainly playing guard last year and he might be best suited for a role on the inside, where he knows he’ll have help coming from either his teammate at center or the tackle to his outside shoulder.
Bottom 5 defense (minimum 39 snaps)
- DT Jerron Cage (32.6 on 43 snaps)
- DE Isaiah Foskey (48.2 on 118 snaps)
- DT Prince Emili (53.2 on 79 snaps)
- CB Isaac Yiadom (57.0 on 73 snaps)
- CB Troy Pride Jr. (57.1 on 107 snaps)
Foskey improved each week as he got his legs under him and adjusted to the speed of NFL competition, and he’ll continue to develop with more reps. The starters at defensive tackle looked great on limited snaps so it’s not too concerning that backups who will be going on the practice squad graded so poorly. That’s also true in the secondary, though either Yiadom or Pride could make the cut given their experience as veteran backups. They’ll need to do a better job competing at the catch point if they stick around.
Special teams
Rather than focus on the player grades, we’re going to highlight the players who logged the most snaps on special teams. This is a key phase of the game and something the coaching staff values highly when finalizing the roster:
- LB Anfernee Orji (61 snaps)
- LB Nephi Sewell (53 snaps)
- LB Ty Summers (44 snaps)
- S Johnathan Abram (43 snaps)
- S Smoke Monday (41 snaps)
- CB Adrian Frye (41 snaps)
- S Jordan Howden (40 snaps)
Want to make the team in the back seven? Do a good job covering punts and kickoffs. The Saints value linebackers and safeties who can run well and make tackles in the open field, which is reflected in this group. Sewell led the team with 4 solo tackles on special teams, though Howden had 3 solo stops and an assist.
But playing a lot of snaps in the kicking game isn’t enough to make the club. Rookie linebacker Nick Anderson also played 43 snaps on special teams through the preseason games, though he was waived Monday evening.
Quarterbacks
- Derek Carr: 72.9 on 8 dropbacks
- Jameis Winston: 66.6 on 57 dropbacks
- Jake Haener: 42.7 on 77 dropbacks
Carr only played a single series in the preseason, but the Saints saw what they needed to from him. Winston did fairly well with the second-team offense and he never turned the ball over. Haener took too many risks but it’s worth noting he had five passes dropped by his receivers; Carr and Winston combined for a single drop.
Notable rookies
A.T. Perry deserves a lot of credit for moving past some struggles in practice to dominate his reps in the preseason games; with him playing well enough to secure a roster spot (as is widely anticipated), the Saints are likely going to have their entire rookie draft class on the roster for the first time since 2017.
Defensively, Bryan Bresee has performed as-advertised with some lethal pass-rush moves and consistent disruption. If he can continue to make the most of his snaps in the rotation he’ll be a problem for opposing offensive lines. The Saints haven’t had a rookie first-round pick start off this hot on defense in years.
Back to the offense — fourth-round pick Nick Saldiveri primarily played on the right side in college at Old Dominion (and almost exclusively at right tackle) but the Saints have had him focus on the left guard spot this summer. He’s only yielded 6 pressures on 82 snaps in pass protection, including a sack. He probably isn’t ready to start, and he won’t be asked to this year, but he’s on the right path.
