The New Orleans Saints have plenty to figure out over their final two preseason games. Wide receiver depth has been a question mark this offseason after New Orleans failed to add any talent in free agency with a ceiling higher than WR3 on offense.
After one week of preseason football, it seems like the Saints have their third wide receiver locked up from a roster standpoint.
Rashid Shaheed and Chris Olave headline the group, but second-year WR A.T. Perry has emerged as a roster lock. That notion is based on recent reports regarding his Week 1 availability.
A.T. Perry locking up WR3 spot for Saints in 2024
According to Nick Underhill, Perry is expected to be ready for Week 1. He's currently nursing a minor injury, but it may hold him out of the final two preseason games for New Orleans.
If Perry's role on the offense was not secured, we'd be having a different conversation. That discussion would surround whether or not his injury would cost him a spot on the depth chart. Rather, everyone is just focused on whether or not he will be ready to be 100% to begin the regular season.
That's a spot to read between the lines, considering we won't get a straightforward answer from the Saints regarding roster locks.
Past Perry, Cedrick Wilson Jr. and Bub Means seem like the two most likely to secure a roster spot as depth targets and special teams players. That's just from reading tea leaves from practice. Plus, Means is a rookie who the Saints have legitimate hopes for going forward. Don't see them moving off him already.
Mason Tipton is a UDFA who dominated training camp, but he has been dealing with an injury. It's unknown if he will play in the preseason, so that may stop him from making the 53-man to open 2024.
Samson Nacua, Equanimeous St. Brown, Kevin Austin Jr., and Stanley Morgan Jr. are the other options trying to get a spot on the team.
I would not expect New Orleans to keep any more than seven receivers (at most). That means three of those named players will not make the active roster. Multiple will land on the practice squad, though.
Regardless, it sounds like Perry did enough in training camp and the team's first preseason action to secure his spot as a downfield passing threat for Derek Carr. Perry totaled four catches for 85 yards last weekend, leading the team in both categories on offense.
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