Veterans like Kendre Miller, Isaiah Foskey may be on the roster bubble.
The New Orleans Saints will have a different look for the 2025 season. First-year head coach Kellen Moore heads up an almost entirely new coaching staff. There will also be a new starting quarterback, as rookie second-round choice Tyler Shough and second-year pro Spencer Rattler compete to replace the retiring Derek Carr.
We should expect other personnel changes for the Saints this season, especially coming off a 5-12 campaign and fourth straight year without a playoff trip. With a new coaching staff in place, there is also very little allegiance to much of the returning roster.
Here are four New Orleans players whose roster spots were secure with the previous regime, but may be on the roster bubble through minicamps and training camp.
DE Isaiah Foskey
The Saints used a second-round choice in the 2023 NFL draft on Foskey, a very productive pass rusher at Notre Dame. Unfortunately, that production has not translated to the professional level.
In two years, Foskey has played in an absurdly-low 147 defensive snaps, just 8% of the available defensive total. He’s been unable to crack the lineup despite only 32 combined sacks from the edge spot the last two seasons.
Foskey will have a clean slate under new defensive coordinator Brandon Staley and may fare better as a stand-up rusher. If he’s not more disruptive as a pass rusher and significantly better against the run, Foskey joins a dubious list of one of the biggest second-round draft busts in the history of the franchise.
S Jordan Howden
It was thought that Howden would carve out a role in the secondary after the Saints selected him in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL draft out of Minnesota. While he has been a solid special teams contributor, his impact on the defense has had little positive affect.
Howden has played a little over 50% of the defensive snaps in his two years. He has two interceptions, both last season, but has been consistently burned in coverage duties and unreliable as a run defender.
Tyrann Mathieu returns at safety for the Saints. Alontae Taylor may see more of a hybrid corner/safety role as he did early last season. Additionally, New Orleans signed Pro Bowl safety Justin Reid in free agency and spent a third-round pick on Virginia safety Jonas Sanker. Howden could wind up being the odd man out without an outstanding training camp.
RB Kendre Miller
Miller has certainly flashed explosive potential, both as a runner and receiver. However, his availability has always been a major issue. In his two seasons with the Saints, Miller has missed 20 of a possible 34 games with various injuries.
A third-round pick out of TCU in the 2023 NFL draft, Miller’s spot with the new coaching staff may not be secure if he can’t stay on the field. Frankly, it has become unwise to count on him being in the lineup.
Desperate for a backfield complement to Alvin Kamara, the Saints re-signed veteran Clyde Edwards-Helaire, used a sixth-round choice on Kansas RB Devin Neal, and brought in undrafted Delaware rookie Marcus Yarns. Expect that there will be heavy competition at running back this summer.
OG Nick Saldiveri
Perhaps you’ve sensed a theme here? The Saints selected Saldiveri in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL draft out of Old Dominion.
Even with the many offensive line issues the Saints have had in the last two years, Saldiveri has seen the field little. When he has played, he’s had issues with consistency and has shown little development.
New Orleans spent another first-round pick on an offensive lineman, drafting Texas tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. There’s a strong possibility that either Banks or tackle Trevor Penning will move inside to guard. The Saints also signed free agent guard Dillon Radunz, a former NFL starter, and versatile interior blocker Will Clapp. It feels like Saldiveri will need to take a major leap in his effectiveness to crack the roster even as a backup.