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)
- Quarterback: 2
- Running back: 3
- Fullback: 1
- Tight end: 3
- Flex: 1
- Wide receiver: 5
- Offensive line: 10
QB Derek Carr
QB Jameis Winston
RB Alvin Kamara
RB Jamaal Williams
RB Eno Benjamin
FB Adam Prentice
FLEX Taysom Hill
TE Juwan Johnson
TE Adam Trautman
TE Lucas Krull
LT James Hurst
LT Trevor Penning
LG Andrus Peat
LG Calvin Throckmorton
LG Lewis Kidd
C Erik McCoy
RG Cesar Ruiz
RT Ryan Ramczyk
RT Landon Young
RT Storm Norton
WR Michael Thomas
WR Chris Olave
WR Rashid Shaheed
WR Tre'Quan Smith
WR Bryan Edwards
Special teams (3)
- Punter: 1
- Kicker: 1
- Long snapper: 1
P Blake Gillikin
K Wil Lutz
LS Zach Wood
Defense (25)
- Defensive line: 9
- Linebacker: 6
- Defensive back: 10
LE Cameron Jordan
LE Tanoh Kpassagnon
LE Jabari Zuniga
NT Khalen Saunders
DT Nathan Shepherd
DT Malcolm Roach
DT Prince Emili
RE Carl Granderson
RE Payton Turner
MLB Demario Davis
MLB D'Marco Jackson
MLB Andrew Dowell
WLB Pete Werner
WLB Ty Summers
SLB Zack Baun
SS Tyrann Mathieu
SS Johnathan Abram
FS Marcus Maye
FS J.T. Gray
FS Lonnie Johnson Jr.
SLOT Bradley Roby
LCB Paulson Adebo
LCB Alontae Taylor
LCB Isaac Yiadom
RCB Marshon Lattimore
