Things We Want to See In the Second Saints Preseason Game

Here's some of the things we're paying close attention to when the Saints play the Chargers on Sunday night.

After two calls with the league on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, the decision was made by the NFL to keep things as scheduled for the Saints and Chargers game. Heavy rain is expected to consume the area starting on Sunday afternoon. This will be the first tropical storm Southern California has seen in 84 years.

We've witnessed two joint practices out here, which gave us a considerable amount of input. With these two teams facing off on Sunday at SoFi Stadium, here's a few things we're paying attention to for the second preseason game.

TRAINING CAMP RECAPS: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 | Day 10 | Day 11 | What We've Learned | Day 12 | Day 13 | Day 14 | Day 15 | Day 16 (Offense) | Day 16 (Defense) | Day 17 (Offense) | Day 17 (Defense)

What Starters Play and For How Long

Aug 13, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) passes to tight end Juwan Johnson (83) against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half at the Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

"There'll be some guys we probably hold out of this game," Dennis Allen said on Friday afternoon. "I don't know that it's just going to be wholesale, but there's going to be a few guys that we hold."

Let's start with who we know won't be playing. Taysom Hill (oblique strain), Demario Davis (calf), Rashid Shaheed (hamstring), Cesar Ruiz (shoulder), and Marshon Lattimore (knee) will be among that group that we won't see. Hill, Davis, Shaheed, and Ruiz all made the trip, and Lattimore hurt his knee during 7-on-7's on Friday and was held out as a precautionary measure. 

It'd be tough to see some of the superstar players like Derek Carr, Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave, Cam Jordan, and other big veterans taking snaps. However, never say never. The team should be smart about the reps that those starters who do play get, and the joint practices saw considerable work for the starters on both days.

Players On the Rise, Who We Want to See More Of

There's been some really good things we've seen out of some of the players lately in training camp. Here's several players at various positions that we're paying close attention to maybe a little more than others.

• Bryan Edwards, WR - Edwards started slow in camp, but has really come on in the past two weeks, including the Chiefs game. We still don't have the definitive answers for WR4-WR6 (if they keep 6), but he's someone who could make a case.
• Tanoh Kpassagnon, DE - I think a lot of people overlook Kpassagnon, but he really stood out on Friday. Carl Granderson and Payton Turner are making their mark, but a good showing here will only solidify what we've seen out of camp for the defensive line.
• Bryan Bresee, DT - He's been making more plays in training camp, and we want to see those splash plays on Sunday.
• Jaylon Smith, LB - He's been a very quick learner on defense, and has some really nice range to his game. He didn't play last week against the Chiefs, and I'm eager to see what he can do in game action. He had two nice days of joint practices, particularly on Friday.
• Ugo Amadi, DB - Amadi has had a pretty strong camp, being able to play inside in the slot as well as doing additional things in the return game and special teams. He's one to watch who is making a run at a roster spot.
• Lonnie Johnson Jr., S - I'd also cheat and add Johnathan Abram here. Those are two I would like to see a lot more of in this game to help solidify that safety group.

More Answers to Depth Battles

For the Saints, we're still looking at battles within a few different positions, mainly with the depth. Not much has changed from last week, so we're still zeroing in on the linebacker, special teams, wide receiver, and most importantly the offensive line depth.

The pass protection has to be better during this game, as there were a ton of struggles with the second and third team units against the Chiefs. For an offensive line that likely won't make it a full 17 games, it's imperative to have solid backup plans. If no one can distance themselves in this game, then the Saints should be paying closer attention to final cuts to improve there. 

Oh by the way, you can catch this game on NFL Network, as it'll be a 4:05 p.m. kick here locally (6:05 p.m. CT).