Training camp will be getting underway for the New Orleans Saints this Tuesday in Metairie. The 2022 roster is filled with a lot of talent that could cause some well-known players out of a roster spot. Here are two Saints that could be on the roster bubble if they don’t perform heading into training camp:
Wide Receiver, Trequan Smith
The Saints were able to add some key pieces to what was a depleted wide receiver room. New Orleans brought in Jarvis Landry from the Cleveland Browns and used one of their two first-round draft picks on Chris Olave. Other notable wide receivers for the Saints include Michael Thomas, Marquez Callaway and Deonte Harty.
Trequan Smith has been disappointing for the New Orleans Saints offense. Smith was selected in the third round of the 2018 draft by New Orleans. The 26-year old had a great career with UCF and Saints fans were hoping that it would carry over into the NFL. Unfortunately, Smith hasn’t been able to carry over that momentum with the Saints offense.
The UCF product still has yet to be up a season where he has more than 450 total yards in a single season. His career-high in touchdowns sits at five. In 2021, Smith posted a career low in touchdowns (three). He posed these stats in what was a make-or-break year for Smith as it was his contract year.
Smith will have to compete to keep his spot in training camp with what has become a well-balanced receiving core. It will be hard for Smith to find playing time with the potential starting wide-receiver rotation of Thomas, Landry and Olave being the focal point of the receiving core.
The Saints did end up bringing back Smith on a two-year contract. According to Spotrac, if they Saints were to cut him before the season, they would save $1.1 million.
Linebacker, Zack Baun
The linebacker room is led by veteran Demario Davis and rookie standout Pete Werner. Werner has only had one season under his belt and has passed Baun up on the depth chart. Back in the 2020 NFL Draft, Baun had a projected draft grade of being a first-round pick. New Orleans was able to scoop up Baun in the third round and at the time it looked to be the steal of the draft.
Baun was coming off a stellar season with Wisconsin where he racked up 12.5 sacks in 2019. He broke out in his final year at Wisconsin as a solid edge rusher. Baun has yet to live up to that projection of being a first-round pick.
The former Wisconsin product features on the special teams unit. New Orleans believed he had all the tools to help with the Saints’ pass rush, but that hasn’t panned out.
Through two seasons with the Saints, Baun has recorded 42 tackles and only one for loss in 32 games. Like Trequan Smith, Baun just hasn’t lived up to the billing of what he showcased in his last season with the Badgers.
Baun is in no way safe of of being a lock on the Saints 53-man roster heading into the 2022 season. The Saints will have competition at the linebacker position that include Andrew Dowell, D’Marco Jackson and Eric Wilson. Baun will have to impress in training camp in order to keep his current role on the Saints.
