3 Takeaways From The Saints Initial 53-Man Roster

The New Orleans Saints made the required moves to get down to 53 men on Sunday evening. There were some interesting decisions and roster maneuvering from New Orleans, as every team is going through its own roster gymnastics. While some moves come as a surprise, the team relatively did what many predicted at certain positions.

Here are three takeaways from the initial 53-man roster:

The three quarterbacks are set

The Saints keeping both Zach Wilson and Spencer Rattler to backup Tyler Shough isn't a shocker. The speculation about possibly trading either Wilson or Rattler didn't come true, but the Saints should feel fine about the three quarterbacks on the roster. Ideally, Shough plays every single down and the backup gets on the field only to run victory formation, but the Saints have two quarterbacks with NFL experience and one with experience in Kellen Moore's offensive system. 

Neither Wilson or Rattler exactly lit the world on fire, but very few teams have perfect situations for backup quarterbacks. 

Only four wide receivers on the 53?

Jordyn Tyson was designated for the short term IR/designated to return list, which means he can return after four weeks, but the Saints are realistically heading into Week 1 with Chris Olave, Devaughn Vele, Bryce Lance, and Barion Brown against the Detroit Lions. This is a thin group, not in terms of talent, but any injury to the four will make things very complicated.

Could this signal practice squad call ups on game day? Probably, but it could signal more Juwan Johnson or Noah Fant splitting out wide as receivers and more of a commitment to running the football. The first four weeks will be tricky to navigate, but the four receivers are very talented and can contribute. 

The safety pecking order

The safety position is well stocked for the Saints. Justin Reid, Julian Blackmon, Jonas Sanker, Jordan Howden, and Lorenzo Styles Jr. are all great options, but with Brandon Staley's love for the "star" position, could we see three on the field at the same time? Sanker has been a popular breakout candidate for the Saints on defense. 

Reid is the leader with his experience, but the flexibility of the different skillsets should make for some interesting lineup choices and combinations. The week leading into Week 1 will be an interesting install process and we'll see what Staley and the Saints come out with against the Lions.